Magnum Photos Collection opens to the public

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In the past, it hasn’t always been easy getting up close and personal with valuable photographic prints from masters such as Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson. Now the general public can get an intimate look at works by some of the most important masters of photography in the 20th century.

Earlier this year, the archive of Magnum Photos was purchased by MSD Capital, the investment firm of billionaire computer entrepreneur Michael Dell. This week, the collection goes on public display at the Harry Ransom Center, a library and museum based at the University of Texas at Austin.

The Magnum Photos Collection features more than 1,300 boxes of photographic materials dating from around 1930 to 2004. It features work by notable photographers such as Capa, Cartier-Bresson, Raymond Depardon, Susan Meiselas and Dennis Stock.

The Harry Ransom Center said that much of the 210,000 photographs from Magnum Photos’ New York bureau are gelatin silver prints, but the collection also contains some color prints.

David Coleman, curator of photography at the Ransom Center, said in a release that future plans include listing personalities individually and providing subcategories relating to subjects and geographical locations.

-- David Ng