Since its invention in 1839, photography has been at the center of

numerous controversies and sensational trials. The image was, in fact,

found at the heart of ethical or purely legal battles, conducted in the

nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A symbol of freedom of expression and

individual rights - but also of power and money - photography is recurrently

confronted by authorities, censure, and manipulation. It has given

rise to heated disputes in the fields of art, politics, science, journalism,

fashion and advertising, which have often ended up in court. A majority

of leading photographers have been dragged into legal procedures or controversies

that have had an important impact on their careers. This book

presents a wide selection of both famous and unknown photographs that

have been the object of such litigation or controversy, from the beginnings

of photography up to contemporary art. Together they offer a better understanding

of the outlook that societies and cultures bring to the images of

their time and a way of looking at current debates with a critical eye.