Photo of the week – February 20, 2015

This week’s photograph pays tribute to the Carnaval de Nice, which is currently happening on the French Riviera. Taken during the carnival of 1937, and printed from a glass plate negative, the photo here gives us a glimpse of the carnaval’s fête de nuit. Smoking torches held by carnaval goers and lit decorations provided a light source for the photographer, creating the shadowy silhouettes and traces of movement seen in this image. The theme for the 1937 Carnaval was “Millionnaire de la Loterie Nationale” (King of the Lottery). This year’s theme is “Roi de la Musique” or “The King of Music”.

Image [Public domain], via Gallica