Le chat vagabond
Photograph
1932 (photographed), pre-1964 (printed)
1932 (photographed), pre-1964 (printed)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Brassaï was born in 1899 as Gyula Halász in the Transylvanian town of Brassó. He grew up in Budapest and spent the early 1920s in Berlin, training as a painter and working as a journalist. He moved to Paris in 1924, where he stayed until his death in 1984. He took up photography in Paris initially to support his written journalism, though he soon committed himself to a solely photographic practice. Brassaï is most well-known for his images of Parisian life, featuring brothels, prostitutes, city streets, architecture and high society alike. His first book, ‘Paris by Night’, was published in 1933 and established his reputation as a serious photographer.
His depictions of Paris at night present eerie streets, almost resembling a smoky ‘film-noir’ set. In their suggestions of a mysterious underworld, his photographs caught the attention of André Breton and the Surrealists, which led to a ten year association with the group; although, Brassaï was careful to never call himself a Surrealist and maintained that his photographs were objective.
His depictions of Paris at night present eerie streets, almost resembling a smoky ‘film-noir’ set. In their suggestions of a mysterious underworld, his photographs caught the attention of André Breton and the Surrealists, which led to a ten year association with the group; although, Brassaï was careful to never call himself a Surrealist and maintained that his photographs were objective.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Titles |
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Materials and techniques | Gelatin silver print. The photograph is mounted on wooden board and edged with black tape. |
Brief description | Photograph by Brassai, 'Le chat vagabond' [The vagrant cat], 1932. Printed for exhibition pre-1964, gelatin silver print mounted on wooden board |
Physical description | Black and white photograph of wooden scaffolding. A white and grey cat is present in the foreground, seated on a platform in the scaffold's structure. |
Dimensions |
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Styles | |
Marks and inscriptions | Verso:
Top right, black ink: 'BRASSAÏ / 1932'
Bottom right, black ink on a white sticker: 'LE CHAT VAGABOND'
Bottom right, stamped in black ink on a white sticker: '© Succession Estate BRASSAÏ'
Bottom right, stamped in black ink on a white sticker: 'SUCCESSION / BRASSAÏ* / ESTATE'
Bottom right, black ink on a white sticker: 'AN.255 (1932)'
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Credit line | Bequest of Gilberte Boyer Brassaï |
Object history | This object came to the museum as part of a bequest of 99 photographs by Brassaï from his widow, Madame Gilberte Boyer. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Brassaï was born in 1899 as Gyula Halász in the Transylvanian town of Brassó. He grew up in Budapest and spent the early 1920s in Berlin, training as a painter and working as a journalist. He moved to Paris in 1924, where he stayed until his death in 1984. He took up photography in Paris initially to support his written journalism, though he soon committed himself to a solely photographic practice. Brassaï is most well-known for his images of Parisian life, featuring brothels, prostitutes, city streets, architecture and high society alike. His first book, ‘Paris by Night’, was published in 1933 and established his reputation as a serious photographer. His depictions of Paris at night present eerie streets, almost resembling a smoky ‘film-noir’ set. In their suggestions of a mysterious underworld, his photographs caught the attention of André Breton and the Surrealists, which led to a ten year association with the group; although, Brassaï was careful to never call himself a Surrealist and maintained that his photographs were objective. |
Associated object | E.926-2014 (Version) |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | E.911-2014 |
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Record created | April 15, 2015 |
Record URL |
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