Brassaï and Henry Miller’s Paris
Howard Greenberg Gallery presents a unique set of photographs by Brassaï of 1930s Paris illustrating the first edition of Henry Miller’s novella Quiet Days in Clichy.
On view for the first time in New York, the exhibition showcases 27 of Brassaï’s prints based on the novella published in 1956, inspired by Miller’s rousing experiences as a struggling writer in Paris.
The prints feature intimate clandestine scenes of Paris’ night life such as a man leaning against a lamp post drawing a woman towards him, a window full of mannequins dressed in lingerie, shadowy streets and dark byways, and a couple at a bar. The prints stand out by featuring crop marks, needed to illustrate the tall, narrow Miller novella.
Many of the iconic images were published in earlier books by Brassaï including Paris de Nuit in 1933 and Voluptés de Paris in 1935. These publications earned the photographer the nickname The Eye of Paris from Miller. In 1975, Brassaï published the biography Henry Miller: The Paris Years, which centred on their years in the City of Light.
When Brassaï initially moved to Paris in 1924 from his native Transylvania [then, part of Hungary, later Romania] he made close friendships in the bohemian and artistic circles. This included Henry Miller who arrived in Paris in 1930 and shared Brassaï’s passion for the street life of the city.
In Transylvania, Brassaï had been trained as an artist, but upon arrival in Paris, where he remained for the rest of his life, he started working as a journalist. Initially taking photographs to complement his articles, Brassaï became fascinated by the medium while exploring the city of Paris. Within a few years he became one of France’s most prominent photographers renowned for chronicling 1920s and 1930s Paris and its residents with an exotic and nocturnal perspective.
His work came to influence generations of photographers to come and his career saw him work as a freelance photographer and writer for a range of major publications including Verve, Coronet, Picture Post and Harper’s Bazaar. The latter took his photography to an international level as he travelled extensively across Europe and America.
Brassaí and Henry Miller’s Paris will be on display at Howard Greenberg Gallery from Thursday 10 September – Saturday 24 October 2015.
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