The Mandarins
Photographer
Author
Book Genre
Photograph Title
Quartier Latin, Paris 1926 (large detail)
Notes
Simone de Beauvoir's roman a clef, The Mandarins, (first published in 1954) concerns a group of philosophers and intellectuals in Paris after the Second World War, and what effect - or lack thereof - their theories might have in shaping Europe in the new era. Being Jean-Paul Sartre's intellectual and romantic partner put de Beauvoir in the real-world middle of this contest of thought and will.
The cover image on this later edition is a large detail of André Kertész' photo Quartier Latin, Paris, made in 1926. The figure seated on the staircase is the cousin of Étienne Beöthy, a Hungarian-born (as was Kertész) sculptor living in Paris.
To view an uncropped, vintage version of Kertész' photo, from the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, click here.
To view an uncropped, vintage version of Kertész' photo, from the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, click here.
Photo Genre
Designer
Collection
Citation
“The Mandarins,” Covering Photography, accessed November 21, 2024, https://coveringphotography.bc.edu/items/show/6704.