“To collect photographs is to collect the world,” Susan Sontag poignantly noted.

Photography, which burst onto the artistic scene in 1839, has been a major force in art, allowing creators to immortalize fleeting moments, craft bewildering fictional settings, and explore abstract creativity. In the art collection sphere, photography often presents a more budget-conscious option compared to painting and sculpture, yet the most iconic photographs can command impressive sums at auction. Each era brings its distinct photographic trends, and the last hundred years have been marked by the emergence of influential movements such as Modern Photography, New American Color Photography, Diaristic Photography, and the Dusseldorf School, along with myriad other styles and groups. Photography has continually evolved, mirroring the dynamic shifts in culture and technology, and these movements highlight the diverse ways photographers have captured and interpreted the world around them. The inclusion of the Dusseldorf School, in particular, underscores the global influence of photographic education and the impact of institutional thought and practice on the art form.