Elliott Erwitt (1928-2023) spent the early years of his life in Europe and emigrated to the USA with his family in 1939. He first studied photography, later also film. When Erwitt was drafted into military service in 1951, he worked there as a photographic assistant. During this time he took photos for various publications in addition to his military duties. During one of his stays in New York, he met Edward Steichen, Robert Capa, and Roy Stryker, who became important mentors. After working as a freelance photographer for »Life«, »Look«, and »Holiday« from 1950 to 1952, he joined the Magnum agency in 1954. In addition to his work as a photographer, Elliott Erwitt has also worked as a filmmaker since the 1970s. Both genres reflect his unmistakable sense of humor and his ability to visualize it pointedly. Everyday moments from the life of humans and animals are captured in images that bear witness to a unique perception. The photographer combines the ability to create both a portrait of Kennedy’s grieving widow and an image of America’s society, divided by racism in the 1950s, with the same sensitivity. Elliott Erwitt’s work is shown in major museums worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Art Institute Chicago, the Kunsthaus Zürich, the Center Nationale de la Photographie in Paris and the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid.