The French photographer Brassaï was named Gyula Halász at birth—his father was Hungarian and his mother Armenian. He took his pseudonym from his hometown of Brassó, Hungary. Brassaï is the man who comes to mind when we think of Paris between the wars. His iconic shots in black and white came to define the era. He roamed the dark, wandering the neighborhoods of Montparnasse, shooting the night creatures—prostitutes, cleaners, drunken youths. But he also navigated high society, and went to ballets and operas with the likes of Georges Braque, Matisse, Dalí, and Giacometti. Picasso was a close friend, and Brassaï completed a photo chronicle of Picasso’s work. He also created books, carved sculptures, and drew nudes. In this four-part exhibition, Brassaï’s multifaceted oeuvre is the focus. —E.C.