✨AI Reimagines the Masters✨ Saul Leiter|161/1000

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Saul Leiter (1923-2013) was an American photographer and painter who made significant contributions to the New York school of photography in the 1940s and 1950s [2]. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and initially studied to become a rabbi before pursuing a career in art [2].

Leiter's interest in art began in his late teens, and he moved to New York City at the age of 23 to pursue painting [1]. However, his friendship with Abstract Expressionist painter Richard Pousette-Dart and photographer W. Eugene Smith led him to explore photography as well [1]. Leiter's early black and white photographs showcased his exceptional talent in the medium [1]. In the 1950s, he began working in color photography, creating a significant body of work during the medium's early stages [1]. His use of subdued and painterly colors set him apart from his contemporaries [1].

Leiter's work gained recognition through exhibitions and publications. His black and white photographs were included in the 1953 exhibition "Always the Young Stranger" at the Museum of Modern Art, curated by Edward Steichen [1]. Steichen also included Leiter's color images in the 1957 MoMA conference "Experimental Photography in Color" [1]. Leiter's color fashion work was published in magazines such as Esquire and Harper's Bazaar [1].

Despite his commercial success as a fashion photographer in the 1970s, Leiter's noncommercial work remained relatively unknown to the wider art world for several decades [1]. However, his work experienced a surge in popularity after the publication of the monograph "Early Color" in 2006 [1]. This led to a series of monographs and international exhibitions showcasing the depth and scope of his work in photography and painting [1].

Leiter's work is now considered pioneering in early color photography, and he is recognized as one of the outstanding figures in post-war photography [1]. His photographs can be found in the permanent collections of prestigious institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art, The National Gallery of Art, and The Whitney Museum of American Art [1].