
Man Ray
Shapes of Light
Silvana (Publisher)
Published on 13. January 2026
Book
Hardback
248 pages
978-88-366-6139-8 (ISBN)
Description
A visionary and multifaceted artist, Man Ray is a leading figure in 20th-century art history. Photographer, painter, draftsman, filmmaker, and object-maker defined by rare creative freedom, he turned every medium into a field of experimentation.
Born Emmanuel Radnitzky in Philadelphia in 1890, he soon immersed himself in New York's avant-garde scene, where he met and formed a close bond with Marcel Duchamp, eventually joining him in Paris in 1921. There, he became a key player in the Dada, then Surrealist movements. He revolutionised photography, elevating it to a full-fledged art form, with iconic works like Le Violon d'Ingres and Noire et blanche. The formal audacity and poetic visual language he brought to fashion photography continue to inspire creatives to this day. A tireless experimenter, he invented "rayographs", rediscovered solarisation and as an avant-garde filmmaker he transformed the image into pure sensation.
Man Ray embodies the free, transgressive, and elusive artist. His body of work, imbued with humour, strangeness, and eroticism, defies categorisation and celebrates the power of imagination.
Includes texts by: Robert Rocca, Pierre-Yves Butzbach, Raffaella Perna.
Text in English and Italian.
Born Emmanuel Radnitzky in Philadelphia in 1890, he soon immersed himself in New York's avant-garde scene, where he met and formed a close bond with Marcel Duchamp, eventually joining him in Paris in 1921. There, he became a key player in the Dada, then Surrealist movements. He revolutionised photography, elevating it to a full-fledged art form, with iconic works like Le Violon d'Ingres and Noire et blanche. The formal audacity and poetic visual language he brought to fashion photography continue to inspire creatives to this day. A tireless experimenter, he invented "rayographs", rediscovered solarisation and as an avant-garde filmmaker he transformed the image into pure sensation.
Man Ray embodies the free, transgressive, and elusive artist. His body of work, imbued with humour, strangeness, and eroticism, defies categorisation and celebrates the power of imagination.
Includes texts by: Robert Rocca, Pierre-Yves Butzbach, Raffaella Perna.
Text in English and Italian.
More details
Language
English
Italian
Place of publication
Milan
Italy
Illustrations
295 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 249 mm
Width: 295 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
1628 gr
ISBN-13
978-88-366-6139-8 (9788836661398)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
51 Self-portraits
67 Portraits
93 Muses
Kiki
Lee Miller
Meret
Nusch
Andy
Juliet
161 Rayographies
171 Cinema
177 Fashion
189 Multiples
215 Nudes
Appendix
230 List of Works
243 Biography
247 Essential Bibliography
67 Portraits
93 Muses
Kiki
Lee Miller
Meret
Nusch
Andy
Juliet
161 Rayographies
171 Cinema
177 Fashion
189 Multiples
215 Nudes
Appendix
230 List of Works
243 Biography
247 Essential Bibliography