Brassai: The Monograph [Hardcover]

Brassaļ (Contributor), Alain Sayag (Contributor), Henry Miller (Contributor), Roger Grenier (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 2000

One of the major photographers of the century, Brassa is best known for his chronicling of demimonde Paris in the 1930s and his classic portraits of artists such as Matisse, Picasso, and countless Surrealists. Along with the superb duotone reproduction of Brassas work, this monograph will include an interview with his widow and essays on his distinguished career.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"The meaning of art is not authenticity but the expression of authenticity," wrote the Hungarian-born photographer Gyula Halász, better known as Brassaï, whose unflinching yet deeply sensual portraits of the seamier side of Paris nightlife during the 1930s and 1940s summon up an era when decadence and desperation ran side by side. Brassaï's curiosity about his subjects and the originality of his approach highlight the depth of his identification with Paris, his adopted city. The son of a professor of French literature, Brassaï had first visited the city at the age of 5; later, in the early 1920s, he returned to make it his home after completion of studies in fine art in Budapest and Berlin. Settling in the bohemian arrondissement of Montparnasse, mixing with artists and writers, Brassaï took up photography "in order to capture the beauty of streets and gardens in the rain and fog, and to capture Paris by night." He lures us into the smoky, highly charged world of clubs and cafés, where nicotine-stained lovers in cheap clothes become impossibly desirable through the camera's lens. Streets, stairways, and canals are moodily lit; even a man rummaging for food in a rubbish bin takes on a cinematic aura. Yet Brassaï's photographs contain a strange mixture of seediness and resilience that ultimately triumphs over any false notions of glamour. He depicts scenes of poverty and its trappings--alcoholism, prostitution, violence, hunger. The chaotic social whirl of 1930s Paris dies down to the quiet suffering of a city under occupation, with its two great literary lights, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, sitting out the war, stony-faced in the Café de Flore. Accompanied by extracts from Brassaï's own writings, contemporaries such as Henry Miller, and essays from other contributors, and containing 308 images, Brassaï is a fine testament to an artist whose images of one city have proved so enduring. --Catherine Taylor, Amazon.co.uk

From Booklist

The first photograph in this definitive volume of photographer Brassai's now classic work is a self-portrait dated 1932-34. Standing in black-tie, camera in hand, the Transylvania-born artist gazes with large, widely spaced, hawkish eyes; ferocious eyes, patient eyes, eyes that shine in the dark. Brassai (1899-1984) came to Paris in 1924 and worked as a journalist before picking up the camera in 1929 to take pictures of the city he'd come to love in the depths of night when streetwalkers and gangsters ruled. In these perfectly framed portraits and cityscapes, artificial light is rendered divine, black is life itself, and beauty is discerned in the humblest of settings. Brassai's creativity and adoration of everything human also led him to make sculptures and engravings, to write, and to befriend artists and writers, many of whom he photographed, and all are showcased here. And, in addition to their own expert commentary, the editors have included an essay by Brassai's friend Henry Miller. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bulfinch; 1 edition (August 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821226681
• ISBN-13: 978-0821226681
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,710 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At last, a superior Brassai monograph, July 31, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brassai: The Monograph (Hardcover)

When Abrams released their long-delayed book on Brassai last December, THE EYE OF PARIS, I was very critical of the entire piece. The images weren't well-printed, the selection was mundane, and the whole thing had an oddly slapped together quality, especially for such a major publisher. Now we have Bullfinch's answer to the recent Brassai gap, and it is a clear success, head and shoulders above this earlier release. After only a relatively cursory look at the book, it is clear that this is what we've been waiting for. The selction of images is deep and varied, mixing both the iconic with the lesser known, the printing is lustrous and dimensional, and the layout is both attractive and compelling. The production may not match the incredible PARIS BY NIGHT reissue of the late 80's, but nothing probably ever will. That said, this book looks very good indeed. I haven't read the impressively credited text yet, but the visuals are certainly terrific, the most important thing, obviously, in a photography book. It is hard to imagine a superior monograph on this seminal figure forthcoming anytime soon. Grab it and feast.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extensive, In-Depth Look at the Breadth of Brassai's Work, November 13, 2000

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brassai: The Monograph (Hardcover)

This book deserves more than five stars.

Before going further, let me mention that Brassai's images contain many sinners and show the seamier side of Paris. For example, there are many photographs of prostitutes here. If such subjects upset you, do avoid this volume.

The collection of Brassai's work at the Musee National d'Art Moderne at the Pompidou Centre in Paris was recently expanded from 300 to 500 items due to a large deposit by Mme. Gilberte Brassai, his widow. This monograph greatly benefits from these additions. The monograph also commemorates the 100th anniversary of his birth in 1899.

Best known for his photography, Brassai had many other dimensions: collector, scholar, sketcher, sculptor, and writer. His self description was as "a creator of images." This book does an excellent job of capturing all of these elements so we can better understand the entire man and his work.

As Brassai said, "The meaning of art is not authenticity . . . but the expression of authenticity." Why does he say that? Well, his method of photography required careful staging because of the bulkiness of his equipment and its slow speed. So, although an image may seem like something taken by a news photographer from the Daily Blurb, Brassai's techniques required that subjects hold their poses for long periods of time. Much like Cindy Sherman does today using herself as the model, those in the photographs were often friends of Brassai's who were posing as someone else. So what is remarkable about these "candid" photos is his "use of re-creation and reconstruction" to produce them.

Taking the photograph was really just the beginning. Using darkness as his ally, it is the print that makes the difference to his representations. "A negative means nothing for my kind of photographer." "It's the artist's proof that counts."

Here are my favorite photographic images in the book:

Notre-Dame, c. 1930-32

The Pont Neuf, c. 1932

The Viaduc d'Auteiul, 1932

The Baker, c. 1930-32

Public Urinals, c. 1932

For a Detective Story, 1931-32

The Big Night at Longchamp, July 1937

False Sky, 1934-35

Nudes of 1934

Matches, c. 1930

Picasso, His Studio and Works, 1932-46

Montmartre, c. 1935-37

Metro Pillar, 1934 (you will see a man's face in the shadow of the pillar)

Odalisque Transmutation, 1934/1967 (this is clearly influenced by Picasso)

The essays in the book are excellent. I especially liked Alain Sayag's comparison of his work to Chinese painting.

I also learned a lot about his life. Like many famous photographers he had to earn a living by doing more commercial work. These images often were done on his own time, late at night. Interestingly, many great photographic images were created in only 1-3 takes. In part, this reflected his poverty.

Actually, he had earlier earned a living from writing about France for German newspapers. The Depression began to cut off that source of funds, and photography was taken up in part to supplement his income. By selling the story and the images, he could get paid a little more. He also worked for Harper's Bazaar taking photographs by day for many years.

The text also contains many selections from what Henry Miller and he had to say about each other and their long-term friendship. This emphasizes "seeing only what is."

My appreciation of the photography was improved by seeing his drawings and sculptures. Clearly influenced by prehistoric and primitive art, many of these images look like fertility gods. His women are all bottom. From these, I could understand his graffiti photographs of images that could literally have come from the caves at Lescaux. So in looking for the "reality" Brassai was reaching deeper into our ancient psyches than other photographers before and since.

I came away very much more interested in Brassai, as I am sure you will be.

After you finish consider Brassai, I suggest you ask yourself how you could add more dimensions of expression to your personal life. What can you share that is both "real" and important for others? How can you best accomplish that?

Au revoir.