Henri Cartier-Bresson’s portraits of the famous personalities of the time are remarkable for a certain quality in the depiction of their personalities which almost makes them closer to paintings. I am talking about the capture of what he calls the “inner silence” of the personalities.I have read recently somewhere that about 80 of his portraits are currently on display all of which reveal ,with a few exceptions,a duel between the photographer out to bring out the inner silence and the subject who is reluctant to reveal himself.
Cartier-Bresson’s wife who happened to be with him when he had this photography session with Ezra Pound has remarked about the heavy” external silence ” that prevailed during the session .The portrait was of Pound who had a disturbed appearance,hair in disorder and eyes reflecting wildness as though the depression which he had recently gone through had still left some marks on his mental health.
Apparently the photographer could capture the essence of the poet’s life quickly although his session with him lasted barely an hour or so,and most of it was spent on arranging things and getting the props ready.A painter spends a long long time with the subject and has interactions with him over prolonged sesions and is in better position to understand the subject .The greatness of Cartier-Bresson lies in the way he has tried to capture the “soul” of the subject despite the difficulty in getting him to reveal himself.
