“I’m most interested in the little things that nobody observes, that nobody thinks are of any value.” Ruth Bernard
Ruth Bernhard (1905–2006) was a German-born American photographer renowned for her luminous black-and-white nudes and still lifes. Trained in art history and typography in Berlin, she moved to New York in the 1920s, where she immersed herself in Manhattan’s avant-garde and queer circles before turning to photography full-time. Her breakthrough came with a commission for MoMA’s Machine Art exhibition in 1934.
Inspired by her friendship with Edward Weston, Bernhard relocated to California and joined the West Coast school alongside Ansel Adams and Imogen Cunningham. Over seven decades, she created iconic works such as Doll’s Head and the celebrated portfolios The Eternal Body and The Gift of the Commonplace.
A revered teacher and award-winning artist, Bernhard’s photographs are held in major collections including the Getty, MoPA San Diego, and the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Her lifelong exploration of light, form, and human connection cemented her as one of the twentieth century’s most influential photographic voices. She died in San Francisco at 101.