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Aristide Maillol inspectant "La Montagne" à Marly-le-Roi

Photograph
1936 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Hungarian born Brassaï moved from Berlin to Paris in 1924, where he remained for the rest of his life. There, he became acquainted with many artists of the day, including Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Henri Matisse. Brassaï is most well-known for his images of Parisian life, depicting brothels, prostitutes, city streets, architecture and high society alike. However, he also photographed his artist friends, often in their studios or with their work. Here, French sculptor Aristide Maillol is depicted alongside his sculpture 'La Montagne'. This lead sculpture has been situated in Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, since 1964, which was also the location for a number of Brassaï's photographs from the 1930s. This photograph was taken in Marly-le-Roi, a suburb to the west of Paris, in the studio of Jean van Dongen, a sculptor and ceramicist who was also Maillol's assistant. These images provide a rare insight into the habits and practice of these twentieth century masters, whose doors were not always open to this kind of personal documentation.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleAristide Maillol inspectant "La Montagne" à Marly-le-Roi (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Gelatin silver print
Brief description
Photograph by Brassaï, 'Aristide Maillol inspectant "La Montagne" à Marly-le-Roi' [Aristide Maillol inspecting "The Mountain" in Marly-le-Roi], 1936, gelatin silver print
Physical description
Black and white photograph depicting a bearded man wearing a cap inspecting a very large sculpture of a female nude. She sits on her right leg with her left leg bent at the knee, and her left hand shielding her face. A coat hangs on a coat rack in the background.
Dimensions
  • Image width: 20.7cm (Note: image and paper are the same size)
  • Image height: 29.9cm (Note: image and paper are the same size)
Style
Marks and inscriptions
Verso: Top centre, pencil: '23x30 A.42' Top centre, pencil: 'Page 115' [encircled] Top right, pencil: 'A 42 V' Top right, pencil: '20 C' [encircled] Centre right, pencil: 'Maillol, / Marly-le-Roi / 1936' Centre, stamped in purple ink: '© copyright by / BRASSAÏ / 81, Faubourg St-Jacques / PARIS-XIVe Tél. 707.23.41' Centre, stamped in purple ink [faded]: 'BRASSAÏ / 81, RUE DU FAUBg St JACQUES / PARIS-XIVe PORt-ROYAL 23-41' Centre right, blue ink: '21 déc. 1936 / à Marly-le-Roi' Centre right, pencil: ' "La Montagne" ' 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
Association
Summary
Hungarian born Brassaï moved from Berlin to Paris in 1924, where he remained for the rest of his life. There, he became acquainted with many artists of the day, including Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Henri Matisse. Brassaï is most well-known for his images of Parisian life, depicting brothels, prostitutes, city streets, architecture and high society alike. However, he also photographed his artist friends, often in their studios or with their work. Here, French sculptor Aristide Maillol is depicted alongside his sculpture 'La Montagne'. This lead sculpture has been situated in Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, since 1964, which was also the location for a number of Brassaï's photographs from the 1930s. This photograph was taken in Marly-le-Roi, a suburb to the west of Paris, in the studio of Jean van Dongen, a sculptor and ceramicist who was also Maillol's assistant. These images provide a rare insight into the habits and practice of these twentieth century masters, whose doors were not always open to this kind of personal documentation.
Bibliographic reference
Alain Sayag and Annick Lionel-Marie, Brassaï: No Ordinary Eyes, London: Thames & Hudson (2000), p166 - slightly different version of the image
Collection
Accession number
E.893-2014

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Record createdApril 15, 2015
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