PHILIPPE HALSMAN. JUMP!

From May 1st to September 27th, the Centro Studi Espositivo Santa Maria Maddalena in Volterra hosts Jump!, an exhibition dedicated to Philippe Halsman, one of the greatest portrait photographers in the history of photography. Promoted by Anima di Volterra with the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Volterra and the Basilica Cattedrale di Volterra, and produced by Opera Laboratori in collaboration with Contrasto and the Archivio Philippe Halsman, the exhibition offers the public the opportunity to enter the creative universe of an artist who revolutionized portrait photography. Author of 101 covers for the prestigious LIFE magazine, Halsman immortalized some of the most important figures of the twentieth century, from politics to entertainment, helping to define a unique and recognizable visual language. Born in Riga in 1906, Halsman established himself in the avant-garde Paris of the 1930s, collaborating with magazines such as Vogue and Vu. Forced to leave Europe during the Second World War, he managed to obtain a visa for the United States thanks to his friendship with Albert Einstein, moving to New York, where his career reached its peak. Through 22 photographs, the exhibition highlights not only the artist's extraordinary portraiture but also his famous "Jumpology," the technique developed in the 1950s that involved asking subjects to jump in front of the camera. A simple yet revealing gesture: in the moment of leap, the social mask falls away and a more authentic and spontaneous dimension of personality emerges.
Among his iconic collaborations, the one with Salvador Dalí stands out, with whom Halsman created images that have become part of the history of photography. His portraits of Hollywood celebrities, artists, and intellectuals testify to a continuous research capable of blending technique, psychological intuition, and experimentation. Jump! is part of the "Soul of Volterra" exhibition, an integrated itinerary with a free audio guide that accompanies visitors on a discovery of Piazza San Giovanni, the Cathedral, the Baptistery, and the Antico Ospedale, now home to the Centro Studi Esposizioni Santa Maria Maddalena.
BIOGRAPHY

Philippe Halsman was born in Riga in 1906. After studying electrical engineering in Dresden, he began his photography career in the 1920s. In the 1930s, he established himself in Paris, collaborating with major international magazines. In 1940, he moved to the United States with the help of Albert Einstein. In New York, he became one of the most sought-after photographers, creating famous covers for LIFE magazine and portraits of movie stars, artists, and intellectuals. In 1941, he met Salvador Dalí, with whom he began a long and influential collaboration. In the 1950s, he developed “Jumpology,” a technique that became his trademark. In 1959, he published Philippe Halsman’s Jump Book, an iconic collection of his jump shots. Throughout his career, he received numerous awards, including the Life Achievement Award from the American Society of Magazine Photographers. He died in New York in 1979, leaving a fundamental legacy in the history of 20th-century photography.