[Graffiti, Paris]
Best known for his photographs of nocturnal Paris and its demimonde, Brassai also took pictures of wall carvings and markings over three decades. Published in 1961 in the collection Graffiti, the prints were divided into sections, including painted graffiti, which Brassai titled The Language of the Wall. Brassai was interested in how the images eventually altered, either through additions by later graffiti artists or because of the vagaries of time. Here, chance has worked to magically reveal the symbol of Free France, the double-barred cross of Lorraine, at precisely the moment of the country's liberation at the end of World War II. Adopted as a countersymbol to the Nazi swastika, the cross had been painted out, presumably during the German occupation of France. The symbolic meaning was perfectly evident to Brassaï, who captioned the photograph, "The political struggle on the wall. General de Gaulle's Cross of Lorraine, covered over with black paint, begins to reemerge."
Artwork Details
- Title: [Graffiti, Paris]
- Artist: Brassaï (French (born Romania), Brașov 1899–1984 Côte d'Azur)
- Date: 1944–45, printed late 1940s–53
- Medium: Gelatin silver print
- Dimensions: 28.0 x 22.0 cm (11 x 8 11/16 in.)
- Classification: Photographs
- Credit Line: Gift of the artist, 1980
- Object Number: 1980.1029.9
- Rights and Reproduction: © Estate Brassaï Succession – Paris
- Curatorial Department: Photographs
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Brassaï
1936
Brassaï
1939
Brassaï
1946
Brassaï
1950, printed 1960s
Brassaï
1946
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.