Parade 1938 - 1945

Robert Frank’s photograph captures a parade, a long procession viewed from above, the masses of people walking along the street conjure images of triumphs and processions that date back to antiquity. The elevated perspective is striking, reminiscent of the gods looking down on humanity. This viewpoint diminishes the individual, emphasizing the collective, the mass. Parades, historically, served as displays of power, religious devotion, or communal unity. The repetition of figures suggests order, but also a certain loss of individuality, a theme that resonates through time. Consider the ancient Roman triumphs, where victorious generals paraded through the city, or religious processions, where the faithful move as one. This need to come together, to march in unison, speaks to a deep-seated human desire for belonging, for collective identity. The cyclical nature of these displays, generation after generation, each imbuing them with new meaning, yet rooted in the same ancient impulses. This photograph, then, is not just a snapshot of a moment, but a window into the enduring human need for ritual, for unity, and for the expression of collective emotion.