A new era of photography

Technically perfect and internationally acclaimed: Hungarian photographer Brassaï moved to Paris in 1924 and became a legend. His 1933 photo book Paris de Nuit documented the nightlife of the city, especially the artists' quarter of Montparnasse, in the period after the First World War. The pictures appear documentary, but in reality they are skillful stagings, inspired by and close to reality. Brassaï, a night owl whose real name was Gyula Halász (1899-1984), was interested in those who lived far from idealized notions of life: homeless people, prostitutes, street workers. Brassaï combined his special sense of atmosphere and unusual compositions with technical sophistication: night photography was a challenge even for experienced photographers. Brassaï is also considered a pioneer of graffiti photography: he used raking light to contrast words scratched into walls and laid the foundation for this subgenre. The Moderna Museet in Stockholm is now dedicating a comprehensive exhibition to him: Brassaï. The Secret Signs of Paris features around 100 of the photographer's works from March 28 to October 4.

Brassaï, who described Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) as an immense artistic influence, was known not only for his famous night photography but also for his drawings, sculptures, and medals. In 1948, he had a major solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, which was subsequently also shown at the Art Institute of Chicago. In addition to his night shots of Paris, he also took surrealistic photos of crystals, for example. In later years, he traveled to many countries on behalf of Harper's Bazaar and published travel documentaries.