Sponsored by Canon, a collection of 100 key photographs spanning from the 1840s to the 1990s is on display from 5 September 2002 to 26 January 2002 at the Victoria and Albert museum. The exhibition is a fascinating collection of historical and contemporary works, compiled by the late Bruce Bernard (1929-2000)

Bruce Bernard was one of the greatest picture editors of the 20^th century. As editor of the best selling volume Century (Phaidon, 1999) he was responsible for one of the most important photography compilations of the last decade. His outstanding ability to select remarkable images will be celebrated in an exhibition at the Canon Photography Gallery this autumn.

	Marilyn Monroe in The Set of the Misfits Eve Arnold, 1960
Veteran of Waterloo with his Wife Anonymous, 1860s

In 1996, the artist and collector James Moores invited Bernard to assemble a collection of photography on his behalf (The Bruce Bernard Collection), giving him complete freedom. It was a challenge that was met with energy and panache as Bernard tirelessly sought out photographs at art fairs and auctions around the world. The result is a captivating and highly personal narrative of works assembled by Bernard, who bought an artist’s eye to the appreciation of photography.

The exhibitions presents key photographic works from the 1840s to the 1990s, featuring many of the greatest practitioners of photography including William Fox Talbot, Diane Arbus, Julia Margaret Cameron, Weegee and Man Ray as well as entrancing images by anonymous and less well known photographers. This is the first opportunity audiences will have to see the collection on public display.

	Caroline Garbolo on Conchita Peter Lavery, 1988
Girl in Hartlepool Pub David Wise, 1986

Bruce Bernard was Picture Editor of the Sunday Times Magazine and later Visual Arts Consultant for the Independent Magazine. His publications included Photodiscovery (Abrams, 1980), the best selling compilation Century (Phaidon, 1999) and Vincent by Himself (Orbis Publishing, 1985).

The Exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated book - One Hundred Photographs: A collection by Bruce Bernard, with text by Bruce Bernard and Mark Haworth-Booth. (Phaidon Press, September 2002) www.phaidon.com

Entrance is free
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL

www.vam.ac.uk