The Blackboard, Poland
David "Chim" Seymour American, born Poland
Not on view
One of the founders of Magnum Photos in 1947, Chim first gained recognition for his photographs of the Spanish Civil War and the Popular Front in Paris during World War II. His intuitive ability to identify and record key moments in the experience of events and of his surroundings allowed him to access wordlessly the emotional heart of a subject, a talent that was particularly useful for photographing children. This image is from a UNESCO-commissioned project to document the effects of World War II on Europe's children. It depicts a child who has lost her parents in the war, and the drawing on the blackboard is her rendition of "home."