John Szarkowski was an American photographer, curator, historian, and writer whose work fundamentally transformed the study and appreciation of photography as a fine art. As Director of the Department of Photography at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York from 1962 to 1991, Szarkowski played a decisive role in establishing photography as a major artistic discipline within museums and academia. Through his influential exhibitions, scholarly publications, and critical writings, he shaped the development of photographic history and introduced generations of photographers to international audiences. He is widely regarded as one of the most important photography curators and theorists of the twentieth century.