Sculptor, photographer and filmmaker who rose to international fame in France in the 20th century. In 1924, Brassai moved to Paris, took a job as a journalist. His love of the city, whose streets he often wandered late at night, led to photography.
He first used it to supplement some of his articles for more money, but rapidly explored the city through this medium, in which he was tutored by his fellow Hungarian Andre Kertesz. He later wrote that he used photography "in order to capture the beauty of streets and gardens in the rain and fog, and to capture Paris by night."
Brassaï captured the essence of the city in his photographs, published as his first collection in 1933 book entitled "Paris de nuit (Paris by Night)". In addition to photos of the seedier side of Paris, Brassai portrayed scenes from the life of the city's high society, its intellectuals, its ballet, and the grand operas. Brassai photographed many of his artist friends, including Dali, Picasso, Matisse and several prominent writers of his time.
Brassaï continued to earn a living with commercial work, also taking photographs for Harper’s Bazaar. In 1948 he had a one-man show at MOMA, which traveled to George Eastman House and the Art Institute of Chicagago. In 1956, his fim “As long as there will be animals” won "Most Original Film" at Cannes. After 1961, Brassaï concentrated on sculpting in stone and bronze.
The copyright representative for the Estate, Réunion des Musées Nationaux (RMN), manages more than 1,400 high-resolution scans of his work.
Bill Brandt, Brassai and Ansel Adams
The kissing photo is by Robert D'Oiseneau. Otherwise, a nice post!
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