Bertien van Manen
author · photographer
Bertien van Manen was a Dutch documentary photographer renowned for her intimate and unpolished style of portraiture. Born in The Hague in 1935, she began her career in the mid-1970s as a fashion photographer before pivoting toward documentary work inspired by the raw style of Robert Frank. Her photography often explores the lived experiences of individuals in remote or marginalized communities worldwide, including China, Russia, and the Appalachian Mountains. Her seminal 1979 book 'Vrouwen te gast' focuses on the lives of female migrant workers in the Netherlands. She was celebrated for her ability to capture the poetics of daily life and human connection. She passed away in May 2024.[1,2,3,4]
Themes
- documentary photography
- migrant life
- intimate portraiture
- daily life
Books
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De strijd van de vrouwen in Nicaraguaauthor · photographer -
Vrouwen Te Gastauthor · photographer -
Zand Water Veen / Harena Aqua Palusphotographer
Works by Bertien van Manen
- Vrouwen te gast 1979 · Feministische Uitgeverij Sara · book · Dutch ISBN 9063280297 Photography book about the lives of women from foreign workers in the Netherlands.
- Feest in Schiedam 1977 · book Part of the 'Vrouwen te gast' series.
- I am the only woman there 2024 · Fw:Books · book Revised work of her own photographs and texts.




