Photographers You Should Know: Manuel Álvarez Bravo

Information for this article was received from The Getty Museum and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

‘Figure of Christ,’ Asociación Manual Álvarez Bravo AC via The J. Paul Getty Trust

Manuel Álvarez Bravo was a self-taught Mexican photographer from a family of artists. Although trained in the classic art disciplines, Álvarez Bravo excelled at his photographic work. Born in 1902 in post-revolution Mexico City, Mexico, his career spanned nearly 80 years of professional photography and teaching.

Álvarez Bravo is considered one of the leading people in the development of photography and one of the greatest Mexican artists of the 20th century.

His early success in photography began in 1925 when he won first place in a local photographic competition in Oaxaca. He returned to Mexico City where he began socializing with artists from various disciplines. He met photographer Edward Weston, who encouraged Álvarez Bravo to continue his study in photography.

Álvarez Bravo taught photography at the San Carlos Academy during the 1930s and continued his work until his death in 2002.

His primary photographic interests include nude forms, folk art, and burial rituals.