Leica M2 “Bruno Barbey”

Black painted Leica M2 camera with matching (and rare) black 8-element Summicron 2/35mm, owned by the famous Magnum photographer Bruno Barbey.

Born in Morocco, Bruno Barbey studied photography and graphic arts at the Ecole des Arts et Métiers in Vevey, Switzerland (1959-60). From 1961 to 1964 he photographed the Italians as protagonists of a small “theatrical world”, with the aim of capturing photographically the spirit of a nation.
During that decade he was commissioned by Editions Rencontre in Lausanne to document European and African countries and was also a regular contributor to Vogue magazine.

In 1964 Barbey began his relationship with Magnum Photos, and became an Associate member in 1966, and a full member in 1968, a year when he documented the political unrest and the French student riots in Paris. He eventually served as Magnum vice president for Europe in 1978 and 1979 and from 1992-1995 as President of Magnum International.

Over four decades, Bruno Barbey has journeyed across five continents and numerous world conflicts, though he does not consider himself a war photographer, he nevertheless covered the civil war in Nigeria, Vietnam, the Middle East, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ireland, Iraq and Kuwait.
His work has appeared in most major magazines in the world.

A prolific author who often exposes and expresses himself in book form, Barbey is especially known for his free and harmonious use of color and has frequently worked in Morocco, the country of his childhood.

He has been exhibited internationally and his photographs are in the collection of numerous museums.

Photo credit: © WestLicht Photographica Auction