Commisseriat de police, au coin de la rue de la Huchette et de la rue du Chat-qui-Pêche
Photograph
c.1935 (photographed)
c.1935 (photographed)
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 | |
Title | Commisseriat de police, au coin de la rue de la Huchette et de la rue du Chat-qui-Pêche (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Gelatin silver print |
Brief description | Photograph by Brassaï, 'Commisseriat de police, au coin de la rue de la Huchette et de la rue du Chat-qui-Pêche' [Police station on the corner of Rue de la Huchette and Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche], c.1935, gelatin silver print |
Physical description | Black and white photogrpah depicting two uniformed men standing under a street light on a corner where two streets meet outside a police station. The signage of police station reads: '[...]E POLICE Vme ARROMDISSEMENT / SECOURS / MEDICAUX / DE NU[?]'.The street sign reads '5me ARR. / RUE DE HUCHETTE'. The photograph was taken at night, with light coming from the street light and through the windows of the police station. |
Dimensions |
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Styles | |
Marks and inscriptions | Verso:
Top left, pencil: '25x28'
Top centre, pencil: 'oui'
Centre, stamped in purple ink: 'BRASSAÏ / 81, RUE DU FAUBs St-JACQUES / PARIS-XIVe PORT-ROYAL 23-41'
Centre right, pencil: 'Page 63' [underlined]
Centre, red ink: 'Pp. 200.'
Bottom centre, stamped in purple ink: '© COPYRIGHT by / BRASSAÏ / 81, Faubourg St-Jacques / PARIS 14eme Tél. 707.23.41'
Bottom right, stamped in black ink: 'SUCCESSION / BRASSAÏ / ESTATE' |
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 | |
Place 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. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | E.919-2014 |
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Record created | April 15, 2015 |
Record URL |
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