Louis Faurer was a celebrated American fashion and street photographer. Known for his compelling black-and-white images documenting both urban life and haute couture, Faurer’s practice is characterized by his intense interest in the psychology of the people he photographed. “Original art emanates in the mind,” he once said, “and lessons society’s confusion from self-indulgence, avarice, and greed to trust, hope, and love.” Born in Philadelphia, PA on August 28, 1916 to Polish-Russian immigrant parents, he attended the School of Commercial Art and Lettering in his hometown and began photographing independently after purchasing his first camera in 1937. He went on to move to New York and befriend some of the greatest photographers of time, including Robert Frank, Diane Arbus, and Walker Evans, who would introduce Faurer to editors at prominent publications. He contributed extensively to Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Life, among others, with Bowing for the Collections(1973) becoming one of his most iconic images. Though he never achieved the same level of acclaim as his peers, Faurer is remembered as a seminal contributor to mid-century photography.
