Brassai: Paris by Night

Brassai: Paris by Night

Arriving in Paris in 1924, Brassai rapidly became a shrewd observer of nocturnal Parisian life. He sensed that photography was the tool that would allow him to document his vision of a dying society. Fascinated by the night, which he found disconcerting, enigmatic, and suggestive, Brassai photographed its every aspect, from police to prostitutes to the homeless to socialites, all in a dreamlike and mysterious manner. In sixty-four images, Brassai succeeded in remarkably capturing this unique ambience. This book, meticulously assembled by Brassai himself, signifies the birth of the artist. Brassai, originally from Hungary, traveled to Paris in 1924, where he began to associate with the avant-garde artist community, in particular with Picasso and the Parisian surrealist circles. He quickly established himself as one of the most original photographers of his generation.

Published for the first time in 1933 and originally designed by Brassaï himself, this is a high-quality reproduction of his legendary first book of photographs. The city of Paris bewitched Brassaï. Working as a journalist by day, by night he roamed the streets of the capital and visited its bistros, sharing moments in the lives of the prostitutes and peddlers, down-and-outs, and illicit lovers who lived on the margins of society. Their nocturnal surroundings fascinated the artist, whose photographs are as much an exploration of the technical challenge of portraying darkness as portraits of a hauntingly dramatic night world. Paris by Night, first published in 1933, features sixty-two of these poetic images, and has become an acknowledged classic of urban photography. Brassaï moved in the same circles as the surrealistshe met Picasso in 1932, and worked on Le Minotaure, the famous surrealist review. He retained a very individual creative vision, however, commenting: The surreal effect of my pictures was nothing more than reality made fantastic through a particular vision. All I wanted to express was reality, for nothing is more surreal. This uniquely modern perspective has inspired a new generation of art critics and historians, and the centenary of Brassaïs birth was the catalyst for major retrospective exhibitions at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, the National Gallery in Washington, and the Hayward Gallery in London. The current reissue of Paris by Night brings one of the last centurys key photographic works back into print.

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Paul Morand, 1888 in Paris geboren, wurde mit 24 Jahren Botschaftsattachee in London, mit 29 Jahren veröffentlichte er seinen ersten Roman. Dem mondänen Leben verschrieben, arbeitete er während der deutschen Besatzung für die Vichy-Regierung, die ihn 1943 als Botschafter nach Bukarest sandte. Nach dem Krieg musste er demissionieren. Seine Kollaboration geriet schließlich in den Hintergrund und er wurde 1968 in die Academie francaise gewählt. Er starb 1976 in Paris