Saul Leiter｜1950s New York

A leading pioneer of early colour photography and one of the foremost figures of Post War photography, Saul Leiter’s (1923- 2013) depictions of New York have enthralled viewers since his discovery by the art world in the late 1990s. Known for his creative and distinctive use of framing, depth of field and colour, his photographs abstract the ordinary, transforming people and objects into the colours, shapes and figures that painted a reinterpretation of life in New York City.

Now known to have been an admirer of Nabis and Impressionists as well as having been an accomplished painter himself, his otherwise unknown sensitivity and passion for Japanese art has only just begun to emerge. With the full support of the Saul Leiter Foundation, the Benrido artisans have printed eight images which were selected by Saul before his passing in November 2013. This specially made portfolio is an embodied realisation of an artist’s work and passion that combine the “personal nature” of Saul’s photographs and the “delicate human touch inherent in the collotype process”.

Included within the portfolio is an introduction by Saul Leiter Foundation’s Directors Michael Parillo and Margit Erb as well as a commemorative essay by Photography Curator Pauline Vermare.