Kiki de Montparnasse in Man Ray's Voisin C7 Automobile (Primary Title)
Man Ray, American, 1890 - 1976 (Artist)
This portrait of Kiki de Montparnasse (1901–1953) in the passenger seat of Man Ray’s Voisin C7 dates to the summer of 1926, when the American artist was making his experimental film Emak Bakia, in which Kiki was the undeniable star. Emak Bakia was filmed at the summer villa of Arthur and Rose Wheeler near Biarritz, and this photograph may have been taken on the road trip from Paris to the fashionable sea resort. This shared private moment, when Man Ray had stopped by the side of the country road to take Kiki’s portrait, reflects the personal happiness of the early years of their romance, as well as their shared excitement about the movie they were about to make together.
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