29
Martin Munkásci was born in Kolozsvár, Austria-Hungary, on 18 May
1896. He started photographing sporting events for a local newspaper
but his career took off when he happened across and photographed
a brawl that turned into a high profile trial. The photographs led to a
job in Berlin in 1928, working as a photojournalist for the magazine,
Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung.
Munkácsi travelled all over the world on assignment and also took on
fashion commissions for the magazine, Die Dame. In 1934 Berliner
Illustrirte Zeitung was nationalised by the Nazis and was forced to
publish propaganda photographs. Munkásci left for New York where
he found new work with the fashion magazine, Harper's Bazaar.
Munkásci applied his approach to documenting sport to his fashion
photography. His energetic images embraced the speed of the
modern era, capturing style in motion. In 1936 Munkásci became a
full-time member of staff at Life magazine and during the 1940s he
became one of the most sought after photojournalists in the United
States. He died on 13 July 1963 in New York City.
Martin Munkácsi 1896-1963
13 Martin Munkácsi, Germany, c. 1932
Inscribed with title and date on reverse
Silver gelatin print, printed c. 1932
13 1/4 x 10 5/8 inches
