Maker/Artist
Brassaï
French photographer, 1899-1984, born in Hungary
Brassäi is best known for his images of the Paris at night in the 1930s and 1940s. During this time, he captured images of deserted streets, prostitutes, lovers, sailors, and cafe night life, using extreme lighting conditions. The result was the book "Paris de Nuit," published in 1933. With his contributions to the Surrealist magazine "Minotaure," he became friends with Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, and Jacque Lipchitz. In 1937, Brassäi began working for "Harper's Bazaar" magazine, forming a close partnership with its editor, Carmel Snow. In 1962, after the death of Snow, he stopped photography altogether and concentrated on making new prints of his photographs and publishing new editions of his earlier books.