Lewis Hine in France

Lewis Wickes Hine (1874-1940) was an American sociologist and photographer best known for his work with the National Child Labor Committee documenting appalling child labor conditions throughout the United States. In the 1920s and 1930s, he consciously shifted to creating more positive images of America at work, such as constructing the incredible heights of the Empire State Building or operating glittering new machinery with its promise of prosperity.
In the spring of 1918, Hine travelled with the American Red Cross to Europe to photograph the organization’s work during the war. Newly arrived in Paris, a part of him seems to see the city as through the excited eyes of a tourist. Although employed by the Red Cross, there was little daily supervision of his activities, and so Hine’s camera feels freer than it has ever been. Amidst the cruelty of war, his photographs and captions relate stories of deep tenderness and joy.
Following the Armastice in November 1918, Hine would travel on to photograph Italy and the Balkans. However, this book focuses on the photos he took in France during those intense first months after his arrival in Europe—the final months of World War I.