The First Round 1932

Pierre Dubreuil made this photograph, called ‘The First Round’, at some point in his life. It’s interesting how the gloves are pushed right up into the boxer’s face, like he's smelling leather, or trying to hide, or disappear into them. The texture of the gloves is incredible, isn’t it? Soft and worn, but solid, somehow. There's a beautiful contrast with the smoothness of his skin. The light, too, is like a caress. It doesn't feel harsh. It's almost as if Dubreuil isn’t just taking a picture, but is trying to figure out something about the person in front of him. Look at his eyes. They’re intense, yet also vulnerable. He seems to be searching, maybe for something, or maybe just trying to meet the camera’s gaze, and not flinch. There’s a lot of tenderness here. It feels like a Degas painting, a moment snatched from the wings of some drama, where a kind of beauty emerges, unexpectedly.