A Ghost of the Lost Generation

/ Kimberly

This 1932 picture by André Kertész is titled At the Bobino, Paris.

Vanity Fair

I saved this picture years ago. I didn’t know who the photographer was or the title of the picture so I named the file A Ghost of the Lost Generation. Back then, it was ephemeral, a phantom echo of a far away past.

Tonight the picture looks different. I suppose photographs, like books and film, are in the eye of the beholder. A beholder could look at the picture in 2015 and see it quite differently in 2025.

I wonder what you see when you look at it.

4 thoughts on “A Ghost of the Lost Generation”

  2. André Kertész, a Hungarian-American, also printed a series of photos called Distortion, each given a specific number. At The Bobino, Paris is not one of the Distortion photos but it is a manipulation of the image, likely during the darkroom printing. Kertész captured numerous photos of Europe before World War II that are pleasing to view.

    This photo is possibly an attempt to exemplify the performer’s source of talent; her inspiration; or, her vocal performance, perhaps her singing voice.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Share your thoughts on this post