Man Ray occupies a prominent place in the art of the last century. A versatile artist who lived mainly in Paris, he is best known for his work with the lens: indeed he was among the first to use it not as a simple means of reproduction but as a genuine creative medium, turning a technique into an art form.

Some of his pictures, such as Le Violon d'Ingres and Noire et blanche, have achieved iconic status. Born in Philadelphia in 1890 as Emmanuel Radnitsky, he took part actively in the intellectual and artistic circles of New York and then of the French capital.