David Seymour, "Chim", was born in Warsaw, Poland. He studied graphic
arts in Leipzig, and turned to photography in 1933 while continuing his
studies at the Sorbonne in Paris.
He covered many important political events for leading magazines
including Life, beginning with the Spanish Civil War. At the outbreak of
World War II he made his way to New York. During the war he served as a
photo-interpreter with the U.S. Air Force in Europe.
In 1947, Chim co-founded an international photojournalists'
cooperative with his friends Robert Capa, Henri-Cartier-Bresson, George
Rodger and William Vandivert.
His postwar series of photographs of the physically and
spiritually maimed children of Europe attracted worldwide attention, was
published in a book by UNESCO, and became part of the posthumous exhibit,
"Chim's Children." The sympathetic and compassionate portraits of these
small victims of war led a friend to note that to Chim, wars were an
enormous crime against children.
Fluent in several languages, with deep affinities for many
countries and peoples, Chim was truly international. Among his many
photographic essays are outstanding portraits of Bernard Berenson and
Arturo Toscanini.
Chim was killed by an Egyptian machine-gunner in 1956, four days
after the Armistice at Suez.
arts in Leipzig, and turned to photography in 1933 while continuing his
studies at the Sorbonne in Paris.
He covered many important political events for leading magazines
including Life, beginning with the Spanish Civil War. At the outbreak of
World War II he made his way to New York. During the war he served as a
photo-interpreter with the U.S. Air Force in Europe.
In 1947, Chim co-founded an international photojournalists'
cooperative with his friends Robert Capa, Henri-Cartier-Bresson, George
Rodger and William Vandivert.
His postwar series of photographs of the physically and
spiritually maimed children of Europe attracted worldwide attention, was
published in a book by UNESCO, and became part of the posthumous exhibit,
"Chim's Children." The sympathetic and compassionate portraits of these
small victims of war led a friend to note that to Chim, wars were an
enormous crime against children.
Fluent in several languages, with deep affinities for many
countries and peoples, Chim was truly international. Among his many
photographic essays are outstanding portraits of Bernard Berenson and
Arturo Toscanini.
Chim was killed by an Egyptian machine-gunner in 1956, four days
after the Armistice at Suez.
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