Shortly before his death in 1984, Brassaï explained how the

city of Paris had served as an infinite source of inspiration-

a unifying theme that characterized each phase of his artistic

oeuvre and lay at the very heart of his work.

Through 250 photographs, this volume presents the

diverse facets of Brassaï's beloved Paris: from the nostalgic

city that he discovered as a child in the 1900s, to the fleeting

and ever-changing graffiti on the city's walls; from the revelers

in the Bohemian bars and clubs during the Années Folles, to

his reciprocal artistic exchange with Picasso in their portrayals

of 1930s Paris; and finally to Brassaï's vision of an eternal

Paris, in which he captured everyday Parisians at leisure and

elevated the familiar to the sublime.