Max Kozloff was an American art historian, photography critic, curator, photographer, and writer whose scholarship profoundly influenced the interpretation of modern and contemporary photography. Widely regarded as one of the leading photography critics of the late twentieth century, Kozloff helped establish photography as a serious field of academic inquiry by combining art historical analysis with cultural criticism. Through his books, essays, and curatorial work, he explored the relationships between photography, identity, politics, portraiture, and visual culture, making significant contributions to both photographic criticism and the broader history of modern art.