Don Bronstein's Lost Archive Surfaces Decades After His Death

Summary

Photographer Don Bronstein, known for shooting over 500 album covers and winning a Grammy, died at 41 in 1968. His vast archive, containing negatives, contact sheets, and personal work, disappeared for nearly four decades in his family's attic. His daughter, Julie Hillman, eventually rediscovered the collection, revealing a significant body of work from postwar American visual culture. Bronstein's intimate style, characterized by close access to subjects like musicians and celebrities, is now being showcased in the exhibition 'The Rhythm of the Eye: Don Bronstein and the Jazz Scene in Chicago 1953–1968' in Milan.

Key points

• Don Bronstein, a prolific photographer, died at 41, after which his extensive archive vanished for decades.
• His work included over 500 album covers for labels like Atlantic and Verve, and he shot iconic musicians.
• Bronstein won a Grammy for Barbra Streisand's 'People' album cover.
• His rediscovered archive is now featured in a European exhibition and upcoming book.