Herbert List (1903-1975) was German photographer who worked in a variety of genres including travel photography, war reportage, fashion photography, portraiture and Surrealism. 

List came from a wealthy family and was able to dedicate himself to photography.

Not to suggest that List was a hobbyist, he was one of the first photographers invited to join Magnum and worked with Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

List would contribute to many of the most important publications of his day including Harper's Bazaar.

While List would drift away from fashion photography, his influence on the genre is significant: Herbert Ritt’s iconic black and white images for Calvin Klein underwear from the 1980s are directly inspired by List’s work.

"Labor" is a paradigm of List's work; It conveys a mood of yearning and curiosity that is consistent feeling in his oeuvre. 

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Photographer's purple stamp verso

Gelatin silver print on Agfa Brovira paper