Ruth Bernhard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruth Bernhard
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| Born | October 14, 1905 |
| Died | December 18, 2006 (aged 101) San Francisco, California
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| Nationality | American and German |
| Occupation | Photographer |
Ruth Bernhard (October 14, 1905 – December 18, 2006) was a famous photographer. She was born in Germany and later became an American citizen. She was known for her beautiful black-and-white photographs.
Contents
Ruth Bernhard: A Photographer's Journey
Ruth Bernhard was a talented photographer. She created amazing images, especially of the human body and everyday objects. Her work is still admired today.
Early Life and Learning
Ruth Bernhard was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1905. Her father, Lucian Bernhard, was a well-known designer. He created posters and typefaces (font styles) that are still used. Ruth's parents divorced when she was very young. She was raised by her father's family. Her father always supported her interest in art.
From 1925 to 1927, Ruth studied art history in Berlin. She learned about typography, which is the art of arranging type. After her studies, she moved to New York City to live with her father. Later, in 1958, she began teaching at the University of California. She also gave many talks and workshops across the United States.
Starting Her Photography Career
In 1927, Ruth moved to New York City. She got a job helping Ralph Steiner at Delineator magazine. However, she lost that job. With the money she received, Ruth bought her own camera. This was the start of her journey as a photographer.
By the late 1920s, Ruth was living in Manhattan. She became friends with other artists, including photographer Berenice Abbott. Ruth soon realized that photography was the art form she loved most. In 1935, she met another famous photographer, Edward Weston, on a beach in Santa Monica.
Weston's work greatly inspired Ruth. After meeting him, she moved to California, where he lived. In 1939, Ruth moved back to New York for eight years. During this time, she met another important photographer, Alfred Stieglitz.
Ruth found inspiration in small, everyday things. In an interview, she said she was interested in "the little things that nobody observes." She believed that "Everything is universal." This idea of focusing on simple things guided her photography.
In 1934, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) asked Ruth to photograph items for an exhibition catalog. Her father, Lucian Bernhard, helped her get this important job.
Life and Work in California
By 1944, Ruth had moved to Carmel, California. She worked with a group of photographers called Group f/64. This group was known for its sharp, detailed photographs.
Ruth later moved to Hollywood to work as a commercial photographer. In 1953, she moved to San Francisco. There, she became friends with other famous photographers. These included Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Minor White, and Wynn Bullock.
Ruth mostly took pictures in black-and-white. She was also known for her unique images, like Two Forms (1962). She even worked with a scientist who studied shells, called a conchologist, named Jean Schwengel.
Working with Others
Ruth also worked with Melvin Van Peebles, who was a cable car driver in San Francisco. Melvin wrote stories, and Ruth took natural photos for their book, The Big Heart. The book was about life on the cable cars.
In the early 1980s, Ruth started working with Carol Williams. Carol owned a photography gallery in Carmel, California. Ruth wanted a book of her photos published while she was still alive. Carol helped make this happen. The book, called The Eternal Body, came out in 1986. It won the Photography Book of the Year award. Ruth said this book greatly helped her career and made her more well-known.
Ruth also worked with Joe Folberg, who owned Vision Gallery in San Francisco. They worked together for many years.
Later Career and Recognition
In 1967, Ruth Bernhard began teaching photography. She also met Price Rice, an African American man, and they became close companions. They stayed together until his death in 1999.
When she was in her 90s, Ruth worked with a writer named Margaretta K. Mitchell. They created a book called Ruth Bernhard, Between Art and Life.
In 1984, Ruth worked with filmmaker Robert Burrill on a film about her life. It was called Illuminations: Ruth Bernhard, Photographer. The film first showed in 1989 in San Francisco. It was also shown on the local PBS TV station, KQED, in 1991.
Ruth Bernhard was recognized for her contributions to art. She was inducted into the Women's Caucus for Art in 1981. She passed away in San Francisco at the age of 101.
Awards and Achievements
Ruth Bernhard received many awards for her photography:
- 1976: Dorothea Lange Award by the Oakland Museum
- 1987: Distinguished Career in Photography Award
- 1990: Presidential Citation for Outstanding Service to Utah State University
- 1994: Cyril Magnin Award for Distinguished Service in Photography
- 1996: Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women's Caucus for Art
- 1997: Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from The Academy of Art, San Francisco
- 2003: Lucie Awards for achievement in fine art
Publications About Her Work
Here are some books that feature Ruth Bernhard's photographs:
- Bernhard, Ruth. Collecting Light: The Photographs of Ruth Bernhard. 1979.
- Bernhard, Ruth. Gift of the Commonplace. 1996. ISBN: 0-9630393-5-0
- Bernhard, Ruth. The Eternal Body. 1986. ISBN: 0-8118-0801-7 ISBN: 0-8118-0826-2
- Van, Melvin, and Ruth Bernhard. The Big Heart. 1957.
- Mitchell, Margaretta K., and Ruth Bernhard. Ruth Bernhard: between art and life. 2000.
Exhibitions of Her Art
Ruth Bernhard's photographs were shown in many art shows:
- 1936: Jake Zeitlin Gallery, Los Angeles
- 1936: Pacific Institute of Music and Art, Los Angeles, Eye Behind the Camera
- 1938: P.M. Gallery, New York
- 1956: Institute for Cultural Relations, Mexico City
- 1986: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art The Eternal Body
Where to See Her Work
Ruth Bernhard's photographs are kept in many important art collections:
- Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana
- J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California
- Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago, Illinois
- Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA), San Diego, California
- Portland Museum of Art, Oregon
- San Jose Museum of Art, California
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- International Photography Hall of Fame, St.Louis, Missouri
See also
- List of German women artists
