Place de la Bastille, Paris 1951

Robert Frank captured this gelatin silver print, titled 'Place de la Bastille, Paris.' Frank, a Swiss-American photographer, is renowned for his raw, immediate style. This aesthetic allowed him to expose the undercurrents of society, especially in the USA during the 50's and 60's. Here, at Place de la Bastille, the site of the French Revolution, his lens hints at the residue of historical turmoil. The somber tone and stark silhouettes evoke a sense of isolation. A lone figure stands in the foreground, their identity obscured, perhaps mirroring the anonymity and alienation that can accompany urban life. By choosing such a low exposure, the site is cast in an almost impenetrable darkness. Frank often spoke of photography as a deeply personal act, "When people look at my pictures I want them to feel the way they do when they want to read a line of poetry twice." In this image, Frank invites us to contemplate the ever-present weight of history.