Man Ray - Man Ray - 1980s

This poster is an iconic piece in the history of art and 20th-century photography. It represents one of the best-known images by Man Ray, titled Le Violon d'Ingres (1924).

The poster promotes a retrospective of Man Ray held at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris from December 10, 1981 to April 12, 1982.

This is an original poster from the 1981 exhibition, not a modern reproduction.

The central image depicts the model Kiki de Montparnasse from behind, nude to the waist, with a turban on her head. On her back, Man Ray graphically added two "f-holes" (the sound holes of a violin), transforming the female body into a musical instrument. It is a masterful example of Surrealism, blending classical nude aesthetics with visual wit. The color of this particular print leans toward a teal/acid-green hue, typical of graphic design choices of the 1980s.

Le Violon d'Ingres is perhaps Man Ray's most famous photograph. The title is a French pun: painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was known to play the violin in his spare time, making the "Violin of Ingres" a way of saying a hobby. Man Ray playfully suggests that the woman is his hobby.

The typography used (a rounded sans-serif font typical of the early 1980s) and the Centre Pompidou logo make it a sought-after period design object by collectors of museum posters.

Size 69x49 cm