The "War" Hidden Beneath Beautiful Photographs

Erwin Blumenfeld is known as a pioneer of fashion portraiture. While his solo exhibitions at institutions like the Centre Pompidou in Paris (1981) and the Barbican Centre in London (1996) received critical acclaim, a comprehensive understanding of his work in Japan has been elusive due to the dispersal of key pieces across museums worldwide.

This exhibition, however, brings together approximately 290 works from Blumenfeld's estate, including vintage prints from the 1930s, 100 masterpieces personally selected by the artist, and beautifully color-restored fashion photographs. This collection, presented prior to its showing at the Jeu de Paume in Paris, encompasses his work from Surrealism to nudes and fashion.

Erwin Blumenfeld was born in 1897 into a Jewish family in Berlin. In his youth, he was drawn to Surrealist expressions, but was conscripted into the German army during World War I. While attempting to flee to the Netherlands during leave, he was arrested and spent the remainder of the war on the front lines.

He subsequently defected to Amsterdam, where he ran a leather goods store to support himself while creating collages and photographic works. In 1936, he moved to Paris, gaining recognition for his portraits of celebrities such as Georges Rouault and Henri Matisse. In 1939, he relocated to New York to become a contract photographer for Harper's Bazaar. However, as soon as he returned to Paris, World War II broke out. His family was interned, and they were temporarily separated. Fortunately, they were released in 1941, and he moved back to New York.

Thereafter, he produced numerous fashion portraits for renowned magazines like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Life, and Cosmopolitan, incorporating elements of Dadaism and Surrealism. His work continues to influence many artists today, and this exhibition offers a rare opportunity to fully appreciate his captivating oeuvre.

Despite being buffeted by two world wars, Blumenfeld left behind a legacy of beautiful, original, and diverse works. We invite you to explore the "secret of beauty"—the historical context and underlying philosophies that subtly emerge from his exquisite expressions.