Emmanuel Radnitsky—better known as Man Ray—was born in Philadelphia in 1890. At the age of seven, his family moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. His family worked in the garment industry—even running a small tailoring shop in their home. He studied art and technical drafting and was offered a scholarship to study architecture which he declined. He chose to pursue art instead. His family, though disappointed, allowed him to convert his bedroom into an art studio.
In 1921, at the age of 31, Man Ray moved to Paris where he would live and produce most of his art. He died in Paris in 1976 and is buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery.
Man Ray always considered himself a painter, though he is known for the photographic techniques he pioneered. He was part of the Dadaist and Surrealist movements.
Shown above, an interesting work—part painting, part sculpture. It is called "Cut-Out" and was made in 1915. The framed "image" has been cut-away, exposing the wall behind the work. It is a three-dimensional framed work—while it remains fully two-dimensional.
Shown above is Le violin d'Ingres, a gelatin silver print made in 1924. It might be Man Ray's most famous work. His lover, Kiki de Montparnasse, is photographed from behind. The image is a tip-of-the-hat to the Neoclassical painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780-1867). Man Ray later drew-in the "f-holes" which are found on many Western string instruments.
In his photographs, Man Ray often composed semi-abstract images using everyday household objects. He used directional lighting to create interesting shadows. Shown above, a gelatin silver print photograph of an egg beater (1918-1920). He titled the work L'homme (The Man), a reference to the shape of the utensil (and its shadow).
The exhibit, Man Ray: When Objects Dream, will run through 1 February 2026 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
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