Controversies

Since its invention in 1839, photography has been at the center of numerous controversies and sensational trials. The image was, in fact, found at the heart of ethical or purely legal battles, conducted in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A symbol of freedom of expression and individual rights - but also of power and money - photography is recurrently confronted by authorities, censure, and manipulation. It has given rise to heated disputes in the fields of art, politics, science, journalism, fashion and advertising, which have often ended up in court. A majority of leading photographers have been dragged into legal procedures or controversies that have had an important impact on their careers. This book presents a wide selection of both famous and unknown photographs that have been the object of such litigation or controversy, from the beginnings of photography up to contemporary art. Together they offer a better understanding of the outlook that societies and cultures bring to the images of their time and a way of looking at current debates with a critical eye.