Two Toughs in Big Albert's Gang

Brassaï

1932–33, printed later · Gelatin silver print · Photographs

The artifice involved in creating seemingly straightforward reports must be invisible if the picture is to work. Brassai's photograph of two toughs waiting for trouble is unsettling; the picture is composed to make us think that they have just shown themselves as we blunder toward their corner. In fact, the dark wall that seems to fill half the picture does not exist. On the left side of the paper Brassai printed a portion of a negative of five men; to produce the black "wall" he used no negative at all.

Artist

Brassaï

Date

1932–33, printed later

Medium

Gelatin silver print

Department

Photographs

Credit line

Ford Motor Company Collection, Gift of Ford Motor Company and John C. Waddell, 1987