Ilse Bing: Queen of the Leica

art2art celebrates the great woman photographer Ilse Bing (1899-1998) in an exhibition comprised entirely of her sumptuous and rare vintage prints. Born in Frankfurt, Bing studied math and art history before picking up a camera, decamping to Paris, and launching a photographic career that would last three decades. “The instant I set foot in Paris, I knew I was in the atmosphere that suited me,” she wrote. “I breathed the very air of Paris and felt ready to flourish.” 

Even before Cartier-Bresson, her camera of choice for its portability, speed, and ability to take 36 exposures was the miniature Leica; she was soon nicknamed the “Queen of the Leica.” Bing immersed herself in Paris’s cultural milieu, interacting with painters like Pavel Tchelitchev and the fashionistas Elsa Schiaparelli and Carmel Snow, who hired her to shoot for Harper’s Bazaar.

This exhibit perfectly captures the mood of 1930s Paris and is highlighted by a unique portfolio documenting the Can-Can dancers at the notorious Moulin Rouge, as well as Bing’s iconic Self-Portrait with Leica, 1931. Also featured is her evocative New York City work taken in 1936 during a trip to meet the gallerist Julien Levy.

Number of photographs:60 
Rental fee: $8,600 for 8 weeks