Legend

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Legend

1926

Man Ray (American, 1890–1976) Printed and published by Éditions Surréalistes, Paris

This print, inspired by mechanical forms and the play of light and shadow against irregular surfaces, recalls Man Ray’s experiments in film and photography. In his cameraless photographs, or “rayographs”, Ray explored the creation of images directly with light, and also used the technique in his film The Return to Reason. This print reinvents cut-paper collages that he created in New York in 1916–17, and first exhibited in frames attached to a central post so they rotated like revolving doors. As re-created in Paris, Ray’s spinning shadows resonated with the avant-garde’s interest in the kinetic spectacle of light and color.

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Object Details

Titles:

Legend
Plate V from the portfolio Revolving Doors

Date:

1926

Artists:

Man Ray (American, 1890–1976) Printed and published by Éditions Surréalistes, Paris

Medium:

Color stencil print

Dimensions:

Sheet: 22 1/8 x 14 7/8 inches (56.2 x 37.8 cm)

Classification:

Prints

Credit Line:

Purchased with funds from the William S. Pilling Collection, and the Lola Downin Peck Fund and the Carl and Laura Zigrosser Collection (by exchange), 1989

Accession Number:

1989-43-5

Geography:

Made in Paris, France, Europe

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