Background
Martin Munkacsi was born on May 18, 1896, in Kolozsvár, Cluj, Romania.
Martin Munkacsi was born on May 18, 1896, in Kolozsvár, Cluj, Romania.
Martin Munkacsi moved to Budapest in 1912 at the age of sixteen. He wrote poetry and did reporting for the sports section of Az Est, also working for Pesti Naplo and Szinhàzi Elet. In 1921 Martin Munkacsi began his career as a sports photographer. Eventually, he moved to Berlin, where he signed a three-year contract with Ullstein Verlag, publishers, and contributed to such magazines as Illustrirte Zeitung, Die Dame, Koralle, Uhu and Die Woche, receiving assignments that sent him traveling around the world. Contracted to work for Harper's Bazaar in 1934, Martin Munkacsi moved to New York, where he spent the rest of his life. From 1940 to 1946 he worked for Ladies’ Home Journal, and also contributed to Life.
At the height of Munkacsi's reputation (1940), he was earning more than $100,000 per year - probably the highest salary or earnings by any photographer until that time. He continued writing his poetry and stories. In 1954 he was the cameraman and lighting designer for the animated puppet film Hansel and Gretel and directed the film Bob's Declaration of Independence. He was also a noted fashion photographer.
Figure skater
1930Woman at newsstand
1939Reflected image of Munkacsi and two women
1930Woman walking on rooftop, New York
1936Boy on scooter almost colliding with car, New York
1934Adele Dixon
1930Three people at the shore
1929Snow-covered cabin in the woods, Scandinavia
1931Women sunbathing on yacht
1934Man and woman reading a newspaper at night, Central Park, New York
1930Quotes from others about the person
Munkacsi's work, says Colin Osman (Spontaneity of Style), "was a subtle art of light, shadows, movement and inflections of mood."