The artwork, titled “Paris street fair” by Brassai, created in 1931, is a photograph belonging to the Surrealism art movement. Brassai’s photograph captures a genre marked by its surreal and oftentimes provocative imagery, encapsulating a moment of urban life in Paris during the early 20th century.
In the artwork, three women are portrayed standing side by side, draped in cloths, and each wearing a mask. They are positioned against a backdrop that suggests a makeshift stage or booth, with a single exposed light bulb illuminating the scene. The masks they wear add a sense of mystery and anonymity, while the gathered crowd in the foreground hints at an audience observing the spectacle. A sign in French is visible on the left side, providing context for the scene, although its exact content remains partially obscured. The photograph possesses a raw, candid quality, capturing an intriguing blend of the everyday and the theatrical, characteristic of Brassai’s work and the broader Surrealist movement.
