The Man Behind the Lens: A Snapshot of Brassaï’s Early Life
Brassaï, born Gyula Halász on September 9, 1899, in Brassó, Hungary (now part of Romania), was a Hungarian-French photographer, sculptor, writer, and filmmaker. He is best known for his iconic photographs of Paris in the 1930s, capturing the city’s nightlife, streets, and inhabitants in a way that has left a lasting impact on the history of photography. His work has greatly contributed to the idea of vernacular photography, blurring the lines between street photography and fine art.
Bohemian Paris: Brassaï’s Immersion in the Artistic Circle
Brassaï’s interest in the arts began at an early age. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest before moving to Paris in 1924 to pursue a career in journalism and art. During his early years in Paris, Brassaï worked as a journalist and art critic, associating with prominent figures in the art world such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Henri Matisse. It was during this time that Brassaï began experimenting with photography through the art magazine Minotaure, where he used the pseudonym “Brassaï” (meaning “from Brassó”) to sign his work. He was often given assignments photographing artists and their studios. During this period, he was introduced to Picasso and photographed his sculptures and studio, which led to a close friendship between the two artists.
Finding His True Passion: The Shift to Photography
Brassaï soon realized he was more interested in pursuing photography than painting, and he quickly gained recognition for his distinctive black-and-white photographs of Paris at night. He captured the city’s dark alleyways, cafes, and inhabitants—both glamorous and gritty—with a keen eye for atmosphere and composition.
Capturing the Soul of Paris: Brassaï’s Iconic Imagery
Brassaï, along with names such as Eugène Atget and Henri Cartier-Bresson, was instrumental in creating the image of Paris as a bohemian metropolis during the first half of the 20th century. His work often focused on the gritty and less photographed side of urban life, showcasing the hidden corners of Paris that were often overlooked. He revealed a hidden world of dark alleyways, bustling cafes, brothels, dance halls, and mysterious figures that came to life under the cover of darkness. He had wandered the streets of Paris for years before he took a single photograph and later said that he “could no longer hold the pictures in.” His use of shadow and light created a sense of drama and depth in his images, transforming ordinary scenes into the extraordinary.
The Book That Shocked Paris: Paris de Nuit and Beyond
Brassaï’s photographs of Paris were compiled in a collection in 1932, which was published as a book titled Paris de Nuit (Paris by Night). The book caused a stir because of its sometimes-scandalous subject matter. His first book was later followed by The Secret Paris of the 30s (1976). The series captures the essence of Paris and its high and low society after dark in the 1930s. Through his lens, Brassaï depicted the city’s nocturnal world, including its vibrant nightlife, and mysterious characters. From prostitutes to criminals and madams, with scenes of private gatherings, underworld activity, and workers emerging from their night shifts, Brassaï became known as “The Eye of Paris,” a name given by Henry Miller. Miller remembered that Brassaï was “on the look-out, sniffing the air, rummaging around in every nook and cranny, his gaze always far away. Everything, literally everything, was of interest to him.”
Unveiling the City’s Secrets: The Night’s Influence on Brassaï
Brassaï was deeply inspired by how the city seemed deserted after midnight, how its shadows ruled the street corners, and how the people and stories of the night would emerge after everyone had gone to bed. He noted,
“Night does not show things, it suggests them. It disturbs and surprises us with its strangeness. It liberates forces within us which are dominated by our reason during the daytime.”
Brassaï never claimed that he was a surrealist, but he aimed to give the everyday “a fantastical slant.” His own vision and curiosity to experience and document those places that “refused to be witnessed” brought a special dimension of reality. Brassaï said,
“My only aim was to express reality, for there is nothing more surreal than reality itself. If reality fails to fill us with wonder, it is because we have fallen into the habit of seeing it as ordinary.”
Master of Light and Shadow: Brassaï’s Photographic Technique
Brassaï’s photographs often feature strong contrasts between light and dark, creating a sense of depth and drama. His use of framing and perspective draws the viewer’s eye to specific details within the scene, guiding their interpretation of the photograph. There is a stunning sense of candor throughout the photographs, yet sometimes he would give directions to his subjects:
“I need the subject to be as conscious as possible that he is taking part in an event… I need his active participation…”
In one of the images titled Introduction Chez Suzy, rue Grégoire-de-Tours, Paris, for example, we see three women, two of whom are nude, kneeling and posing in front of a man who has entered the brothel, with an evident smile on his face. Or Fille De Joie Du Quartier Italien Dans Une Robe Printanière, which presents a woman at night standing and smoking on the street, with bright streetlights illuminating her face and dress. He used glass plate negatives and the participants in his photographs were all complicit in his work. He was not a paparazzi, but a teller of stories.
A Lasting Legacy: Brassaï’s Enduring Influence
Brassaï’s photographs of Paris at night are not only visually stunning but also historically significant in the development of photography as an art form. His innovative approach to capturing the nocturnal urban environment has left a lasting impact on the history of photography, influencing generations of photographers to come, such as Diane Arbus and Nan Goldin. In 1948, Brassaï was invited to exhibit his photographs in a solo show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His work has been exhibited in major museums internationally and is held in the permanent collections of SFMoMA, San Francisco; LACMA, Los Angeles; MoMA, New York; and the Pompidou Centre, Paris. Brassaï passed away in 1984 and is considered one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century.
