Robert Doisneau was a
FrenchThe French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
photographer. In the 1930s he used a Leica on the streets of Paris; together with
Henri Cartier-BressonHenri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography...
he was a pioneer of
photojournalismPhotojournalism is a particular form of journalism that creates images in order to tell a news story. It is now usually understood to refer only to still images, but in some cases the term also refers to video used in broadcast journalism...
. He is renowned for his 1950 image Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville (Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville), a photo of a couple kissing in the busy streets of
ParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Robert Doisneau was appointed a Chevalier (Knight) of the
National Order of the Légion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1984.
Photographic career
Robert Doisneau was known for his modest, playful, and ironic images of amusing juxtapositions, mingling social classes, and eccentrics in contemporary Paris streets and cafes. Influenced by the work of
André KertészAndré Kertész , born Kertész Andor, was a Hungarian-born photographer known for his groundbreaking contributions to photographic composition and the photo essay. In the early years of his career, his then-unorthodox camera angles and style prevented his work from gaining wider recognition...
,
Eugène AtgetEugène Atget was a French photographer noted for his photographs documenting the architecture and street scenes of Paris....
, and
Henri Cartier-BressonHenri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography...
, in over twenty books Doisneau presented a charming vision of human frailty and life as a series of quiet, incongruous moments.
Doisneau's work gives unusual prominence and dignity to
children's street cultureChildren's street culture refers to the cumulative culture created by young children. Collectively, this body of knowledge is passed down from one generation of urban children to the next, and can also be passed between different groups of children . It is most common in children between the ages...
; returning again and again to the theme of children at play in the city, unfettered by parents. His work treats their play with seriousness and respect. In his honour, and owing to this, there are several Ecole Primaire (Primary Schools) named after him. An example is at Veretz (Indre-et-Loire).
Robert Doisneau is one of France's best known photographers, for his street photography and the many playful images in everyday French life. His photographs over the course of several decades provide people with a great record of French life. He has published over twenty books with realistic and charming pictures of personal moments in the lives of individuals.
Early life
Doisneau's father, a
plumberA plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable water, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems. The term dates from ancient times, and is related to the Latin word for lead, "plumbum." A person engaged in fixing metaphorical "leaks" may also be...
, died on active service in
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when Robert was about four. His mother died when he was seven so he was then raised by an unloving aunt.
At thirteen he enrolled at the
École EstienneL’école Estienne is the traditional name of the Graduate School of Arts and Printing Industry. It is located at 18, Boulevard Auguste-Blanqui in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, not far from the Butte-aux-Cailles.-History:...
, a craft school where he graduated in 1929 with diplomas in
engravingEngraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing...
and
lithographyLithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
. Here he had his first contact with the arts, taking classes in
Figure drawingIn art, a figure drawing is a study of the human form in its various shapes and body postures - sitting, standing or even sleeping. It is a study or stylized depiction of the human form, with the line and form of the human figure as the primary objective, rather than the subject person. It is a...
and
Still lifeA still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
.
When he was 16 he took up amateur photography but was reportedly so shy that he started by photographing cobble-stones before progressing to children and then adults.
At the end of the 1920s Doisneau found work as a
draughtsmanA draughtsman or draftsman , is a person skilled in drawing, either:*drawing for artistic purposes, or*technical drawing for practical purposes such as architecture or engineering...
(lettering artist) in the advertising industry at Atelier Ullmann (Ullmann Studio), a creative graphics studio that specialised in the pharmaceutical industry. Here he took an opportunity to change career by also acting as camera assistant in the studio and then becoming a staff photographer.
Photography in the 1930s
While working at Atelier Ullmann Doisneau had helped out as a camera assistant and developed into a staff photographer, but in 1931 he left both the studio and advertising, taking a job as an assistant with the modernist photographer André Vigneau.
In 1932 he sold his first photo story to Excelsior magazine.
In 1934 he began working as an industrial advertising photographer for the
RenaultRenault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
car factory at
Boulogne-BillancourtBoulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
. Working at Renault increased Doisneau’s interest in working with photography and people. In 1991 he admitted that the years at the Renault car factory marked “the beginning of his career as a photographer and the end of his youth.” Five years later, in 1939, he was fired for being constantly late. He was forced to try freelance advertising, engraving and
postcardA postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
photography to earn his living. At that time the French postcard industry was the largest in Europe, postcards served as greetings cards as well as vacation souvenirs.
In 1939 he was hired by Charles Rado of the
Rapho photo agencyThe Rapho agency was founded in Paris in 1933 by Charles Rado , a Hungarian immigrant. Rapho, an acronym formed from Rado-Photo, is one of the oldest press agencies specializing in humanist photography...
and travelled throughout France in search of picture stories. This is where he took his first professional street photographs.
War service and resistance
Doisneau worked at Rapho until the outbreak of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, whereupon he was drafted into the French army as both a soldier and photographer. He was in the army until 1940 and from then until the end of the war in 1945 used his draughtsmanship, lettering artistry and engraving skills to forge passports and identification papers for the
French ResistanceThe French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
.
Post-war photography
Some of Doisneau's most memorable photographs were taken after the war. He returned to freelance photography and sold photographs to
LifeLife generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
and other international magazines. He briefly joined the Alliance Photo Agency but rejoined the Rapho agency in 1946 and remained with them throughout his working life, despite receiving an invitation from
Henri Cartier-BressonHenri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography...
to join
Magnum PhotosMagnum Photos is an international photographic cooperative owned by its photographer-members, with offices located in New York, Paris, London and Tokyo...
.
His photographs never ridiculed the subjects; thus he refused to photograph women whose heads had been shaved as punishment for sleeping with Germans.
In 1948 Doisneau was contracted by
VogueVogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
to work as a fashion photographer. The editors believed he would bring a fresh and more casual look the magazine but Doisneau didn’t enjoy photographing beautiful women in elegant surroundings, he preferred street photography. When he could escape from the studio, he photographed ever more in the streets of Paris.
The 1950s were Doisneau's peak but the 1960s were his wilderness years. In the 1970s Europe began to change and editors looked for new reportage that would show the sense of a new social era. All over Europe, the old-style picture magazines were closing as television got the public's attention. Doisneau continued to work, producing children's books, advertising photography and celebrity portraits including Alberto Giacometti,
Jean CocteauJean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, María...
,
Fernand LégerJoseph Fernand Henri Léger was a French painter, sculptor, and filmmaker. In his early works he created a personal form of Cubism which he gradually modified into a more figurative, populist style...
,
Georges BraqueGeorges Braque[p] was a major 20th century French painter and sculptor who, along with Pablo Picasso, developed the art style known as Cubism.-Early Life:...
and
Pablo PicassoPablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
.
Doisneau worked with writers and poets such as
Blaise CendrarsFrédéric Louis Sauser , better known as Blaise Cendrars, was a Swiss novelist and poet naturalized French in 1916. He was a writer of considerable influence in the modernist movement.-Early years:...
and
Jacques PrevertJacques Prévert was a French poet and screenwriter. His poems became and remain very popular in the French-speaking world, particularly in schools. Some of the movies he wrote are extremely well regarded, with Les Enfants du Paradis considered one of the greatest films of all time.-Life and...
, and he credited Prevert with giving him the confidence to photograph the everyday street scenes that most people simply ignored.
Group XV was established in 1946 in Paris to promote photography as art and drawing attention to the preservation of French photographic heritage. Doisneau joined the Group in 1950 and participated alongside Rene-Jacques, Willy Ronis and Pierre Jahan.
Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville (The Kiss)
In 1950 he created his most recognizable work for
LifeLife generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
- Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville (Kiss by the
Hôtel de VilleThe Hôtel de Ville |City Hall]]) in :Paris, France, is the building housing the City of Paris's administration. Standing on the place de l'Hôtel de Ville in the city's IVe arrondissement, it has been the location of the municipality of Paris since 1357...
), a photo of a couple kissing in the busy streets of
ParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, which became an internationally recognised symbol of young love in Paris. The identity of the couple remained a mystery until 1992.
Jean and Denise Lavergne erroneously believed themselves to be the couple in The Kiss, and when Robert and Annette met them for lunch in the 1980s he "did not want to shatter their dream" so he said nothing. This resulted in them taking him to court for "taking their picture without their knowledge", because under French law an individual owns the rights to their own likeness. The court action forced Doisneau to reveal that he posed the shot using Françoise Delbart and Jacques Carteaud, lovers whom he had just seen kissing but had not initially photographed because of his natural reserve, but he approached them and asked if they would repeat le baiser. He won the court case against the Lavergnes.
The couple in Le baiser were Françoise Delbart, 20, and Jacques Carteaud, 23, both aspiring actors. In 2005 Françoise Bornet (née Delbart) stated that "He told us we were charming, and asked if we could kiss again for the camera. We didn't mind. We were used to kissing. We were doing it all the time then, it was delicious. Monsieur Doisneau was adorable, very low key, very relaxed." They posed at the
Place de la ConcordeThe Place de la Concorde in area, it is the largest square in the French capital. It is located in the city's eighth arrondissement, at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées.- History :...
, the Rue de Rivoli and finally the
Hôtel de VilleThe Hôtel de Ville |City Hall]]) in :Paris, France, is the building housing the City of Paris's administration. Standing on the place de l'Hôtel de Ville in the city's IVe arrondissement, it has been the location of the municipality of Paris since 1357...
. The photograph was published in the June 12, 1950, issue of Life. The relationship between Delbart and Carteaud only lasted for nine months. Delbart continued her acting career, but Carteaud gave up acting to become a wine producer.
In 1950 Françoise Bornet was given an original print of the photo, bearing Doisneau's signature and stamp, as part of the payment for her "work", and thus her subsequent attempt at litigation in the 1990s was rejected by the court. In April 2005 she sold the print at auction for 155,000
€The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
to an unidentified Swiss collector via the Paris auctioneers Artcurial Briest-Poulain-Le Fur.
Personal life
In 1936 Doisneau married Pierrette Chaumaison whom he had met in 1934 when she was cycling through a village where he was on holiday. They had two daughters, Annette (b.1942) and Francine (b.1947). Annette worked as his assistant from 1979 until his death.
Pierrette died in 1993 suffering from
Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
and
Parkinson's diseaseParkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
. Doisneau died six months later, having had a
triple heart bypassCoronary artery bypass surgery, also coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and colloquially heart bypass or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure performed to relieve angina and reduce the risk of death from coronary artery disease...
and suffering from
acute pancreatitisAcute pancreatitis or acute pancreatic necrosis is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas. It can have severe complications and high mortality despite treatment...
. Annette said "We won in the courts, (re: The Kiss) but my father was deeply shocked. He discovered a world of lies, and it hurt him. 'The Kiss' ruined the last years of his life. Add that to my mother suffering from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and I think it's fair to say he died of sadness."
Doisneau was in many ways a shy and humble man, like his photography, still delivering his own work at the height of his fame. He chastised Francine for charging an 'indecent' daily fee of £2,000 for his work on a beer advertising campaign – he wanted only the rate of an "artisan photographer".
He lived in southern Paris (
Gentilly, Val-de-MarneGentilly is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:The name Gentilly was recorded for the first time in the 6th century as Gentiliacum, a royal estate of some importance where coinage was minted. The etymology of the name seems to be...
,
MontrougeMontrouge is a commune in the southern Parisian suburbs, located from the center of Paris, France. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe...
and 13th arrondissement of Paris) throughout his life and died in 1994. He is buried in the cemetery at
RaizeuxRaizeux is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France....
beside his wife Pierrette.
Awards and commemoration
Robert Doisneau was appointed a Chevalier of the Order of the
Légion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1984.
He won several awards throughout his life, including:
- the Balzac Prize in 1986 (Honoré de Balzac
Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright. His magnum opus was a sequence of short stories and novels collectively entitled La Comédie humaine, which presents a panorama of French life in the years after the 1815 fall of Napoleon....
)
- the Grand Prix National de la Photographie in 1983
- the Niépce Prize
The Niépce Prize has been awarded annually since 1955 to a professional photographer who has lived and worked in France for over 3 years and is younger than 45 years of age. It was introduced in honour of Joseph Nicéphore Nièpce by Albert Plécy for the l'Association Gens d'Images.- List of winners...
in 1956 (Nicéphore NiépceNicéphore Niépce March 7, 1765 – July 5, 1833) was a French inventor, most noted as one of the inventors of photography and a pioneer in the field.He is most noted for producing the world's first known photograph in 1825...
)
- the Kodak Prize in 1947
A short film, "Le Paris de Robert Doisneau", was made in 1973.
In 1992 the French actress and producer
Sabine AzémaSabine Azéma is a French actress. Born in Paris, she graduated from the Paris Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, and began her film career in 1975...
made the film Bonjour Monsieur Doisneau.
The
Maison de la photographie Robert DoisneauThe Maison de la photographie Robert Doisneau is a photography gallery in Gentilly, Paris, created to commemorate the Parisian photographer Robert Doisneau....
in
Gentilly, Val-de-MarneGentilly is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:The name Gentilly was recorded for the first time in the 6th century as Gentiliacum, a royal estate of some importance where coinage was minted. The etymology of the name seems to be...
, is a photographic gallery named in his honour.
In honour of his photography of children's street culture, there are several 'Ecole Primaire' (Primary Schools) named after him. An example is at
VéretzVéretz is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France.-See also:*Communes of the Indre-et-Loire department...
(Indre-et-Loire).
The photography of Robert Doisneau has had a revival since his death in 1994. Many of his portraits and photos of Paris from the end of World War II through the 1950s have been turned into calendars and postcards and have become icons of French life.
Chronology
- 1912 Born April 14 in Gentilly, France.
- 1926–29 Studies at Ecole Estienne in Paris and receives a diploma as an engraver-lithographer.
- 1930 Draftsman at the Ulman Workshop.
- 1931 Assistant to André Vigneau.
- 1932 Images of a flea market are the first photographs sold to the daily publication, L’Excelsior.
- 1934-38 Works as an industrial photographer at the Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
factories in Billancourt, France.
- 1939 Meets the founder of the Rapho
The Rapho agency was founded in Paris in 1933 by Charles Rado , a Hungarian immigrant. Rapho, an acronym formed from Rado-Photo, is one of the oldest press agencies specializing in humanist photography...
agency, Charles Rado. Begins working as a fully independent photographer.
- 1942 Meets renowned French typographer Maximilien Vox
Maximilien Vox was a French writer, cartoonist, illustrator, publisher, journalist, critic art theorist and historian of the French letter and typography. He was born on 16 December 1894 in Condé-sur-Noireau and died on 18 December 1974 in Lurs where he is buried. He created the VOX-ATypI...
.
- 1944 Meets French actor Maurice Baquet.
- 1945 Works for the first time with Pierre Betz, editor for the magazine Le Point (published from 1936 to 1962). Introduced to the Swiss poet and novelist Blaise Cendrars
Frédéric Louis Sauser , better known as Blaise Cendrars, was a Swiss novelist and poet naturalized French in 1916. He was a writer of considerable influence in the modernist movement.-Early years:...
in Aix-en-Provence, France. Meets photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, one of the founding members of the photographic agency Magnum Photos.
- 1946 Raymond Grosset re-establishes the Rapho
The Rapho agency was founded in Paris in 1933 by Charles Rado , a Hungarian immigrant. Rapho, an acronym formed from Rado-Photo, is one of the oldest press agencies specializing in humanist photography...
, which had closed during World War II. Doisneau would go on to work with the agency for nearly fifty years.Works with the weekly publication, Action. Travels to Yugoslavia.
- 1947 Receives the Kodak Prize
- 1947 Introduced to Bordeaux shipper Robert Giraud as well as the French poet Jacques Prévert.
- 1949-51 Receives contract with Vogue
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
magazine.
- 1956 Receives the Niepce Prize
The Niépce Prize has been awarded annually since 1955 to a professional photographer who has lived and worked in France for over 3 years and is younger than 45 years of age. It was introduced in honour of Joseph Nicéphore Nièpce by Albert Plécy for the l'Association Gens d'Images.- List of winners...
.
- 1960 Visits the United States to work in Hollywood and Palm Springs.
- 1967 Visits the USSR for the magazine Working Life.
- 1975 Guest at the Meetings of Arles.
- 1984 Responsible for the topic of “New Urban Landscapes” for the photographic mission of DATAR.
- 1983 Receives the Grand Prix National de la Photographie
- 1983 Introduced to French actress and producer Sabine Azéma
Sabine Azéma is a French actress. Born in Paris, she graduated from the Paris Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, and began her film career in 1975...
, who would later make the film Bonjour Monsieur Doisneau.
- 1985 Produces portraits of personalities for the magazine Femme.
- 1986 Meets the French journalist François Canna.
- 1986 Receives the Balzac Prize
- 1991 Introduced to the French author Daniel Pennac
Daniel Pennac is a French writer. He received the Prix Renaudot in 2007 for his essay Chagrin d'école.After studying in Nice he became a teacher...
.
- 1994 Dies April 1 in Paris.
Exhibitions
- 1947 Salon de la Photo, Bibliothèque, Paris.
- 1951 Exhibition with Brassaї, Willy Ronis, and Izis, Museum of Modern Art, New York.
- 1960 Solo Exhibition, Museum of Modern Art, Chicago.
- 1965 Exhibition with Daniel Frasnay, Jean Lattès, Jeanine Niépce, Roger Pic, and Willy Ronis, Six Photographes et Paris, Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris. Exhibition with Henri Cartier-Bresson and André Vigneau, Musée Réattu, Arles. Solo Exhibition, Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris. Exhibition with D. Brihat, J. P. Sudre, and L. Clergue, Musée Cantini de Marseilles.
- 1972 Solo Exhibition, International Museum of Photography at George Eastman House, Rochester, New York.
- 1972 Exhibition with Edouard Boubat, Brassaї, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Izis, and Willy Ronis, French Embassy, Moscow.
- 1974 Solo Exhibition, University of California at Davis. Solo exhibition, Galerie du Château d’Eau, Toulouse.
- 1975 Solo Exhibition, Witkin Gallery, New York; Musée Réattu Arts Décoratifs, Nantes; Musée Réattu, Arles.
- 1975 Solo exhibition, Galerie et Fils, Brussels. Solo exhibition, fnac, Lyons. Group exhibition, Expression de l’humor, Boulogne Billancourt. Solo exhibition, Galerie Neugebauer, Basel.
- 1976 Exhibition with Brassaї, Cartier-Bresson, Jean-Philippe Charbonnier, Izis, and Marc Riboud, Kraków.
- 1977 Solo Exhibition, Brussels. Exhibition with Guy la Querrec, Carlos Freire, Claude Raimond-Dityvon, Bernard Descamps, and Jean Lattès, Six Photographes en quête de banlieue, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.
- 1978 Solo Exhibition, Ne Bougeons plus, Galerie Agathe Gaillard, Paris. Solo exhibition, Witkin Gallery, New York. Solo exhibition, Musée Nicéphore Niépce, Charlon-sur-Saône.
- 1979 Solo Exhibition, Paris, les passants qui passent, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris.
- 1980 Solo Exhibition, Amsterdam.
- 1981 Solo Exhibition, Witkin Gallery, New York.
- 1982 Solo Exhibition, Portraits, Foundation Nationale de la Photopraphie, Lyons. Solo exhibition, French Embassy, New York. Solo exhibition, Robert Doisneau, Photographe de banlieue, Town Hall, Gentilly.
- 1982 Solo exhibition of 120 photographs, Palace of Fine Arts, Beijing. Exhibition of portraits, Tokyo. Solo exhibition, Robert Doisneau, Photographie du dimanche, Institut Lumière, Lyon.
- 1986 Group Exhibition, De Vogue à femme, Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie d’Arles.
- 1987 Solo Exhibition, St.-Denis, Musée de St.-Denis. Solo exhibition, The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto.
- 1988 Solo Exhibition, A Homage to Robert Doisneau, Villa Medicis, Rome.
- 1989 Solo Exhibition, Doisneau-Renault, Grande Halle de la Villette, Paris.
- 1990 Solo Exhibition, La Science de Doisneau, Jardin des Plantes, Paris.
- 1992 Solo Exhibition, Robert Doisneau: A Retrospective, Modern Art Oxford.
- 1993 The Summerlee Heritage Trust, Coatbridge, Scotland; Royal Festival Hall, London; Manchester City Art Gallery; O Mes da Fotografie Festival, Convento do Beato, Lisbon, Portugal. Musée Carnavalet, Paris.
- 1994 Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal, Canada; Galway Arts Centre, Ireland. Solo exhibition, A Homage to Robert Doisneau, Galerie du Château d’Eau à Toulouse. Solo exhibition, Doisneau 40/44, Centre d’Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation de Lyon, Lyon, France. Solo exhibition, Robert Doisneau ou la désobéissance, Ecomusée de Fresnais.
- 1995 Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, England; Aberdeen Art Gallery, Scotland; The Mead Gallery, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry.
- 1996 Solo Exhibition, Montpellier Photo-Visions, Galerie Municipale de la Photographie; Isetan Museum of Art, Tokyo; Daimaru Museum, Osaka, Japan.
- 2000 Exhibition, Gravités, Paris.
- 2000 Exhibition, Galerie Claude Bernard, Paris.
- 2002 Exhibition, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Santiago, Chile.
- 2003 Exhibition, Budapest, Hungary. Exhibition, Bucarest, Romania.
- 2003 Exhibition, Galerie Claude Bernard, Paris.
- 2005 Solo Exhibition, Robert Doisneau from the Fictional to the Real, Bruce Silverstein Gallery, New York.
- 2005 Solo Exhibition, Robert Doisneau, Galerie Claude Bernard, Paris.
- 2010 Solo Exhibitions, Robert Doisneau, Du metier a l'oeuvre, Fondation Henri Cartier Bresson, 2, Impasse Lebouis, 75014 Paris.
- 2010 Group Exhibition, Discoveries, Robert Doisneau, Bruce Silverstein Gallery, New York.
- 2010 Solo Exhibition, Robert Doisneau, the fisherman of images, the Space for Art of Caja Madrid Zaragoza, Aranjuez, Madrid.
- 2011 Group exhibition. Night, Robert Doisneau Bruce Silverstein Gallery, New York.
Publications
- Paris délivré par son peuple. (From the People of Paris). - Paris: Braun: c.1944.
- La Banlieue de Paris. (The Suburbs of Paris). - Text by Blaise Cendrars
Frédéric Louis Sauser , better known as Blaise Cendrars, was a Swiss novelist and poet naturalized French in 1916. He was a writer of considerable influence in the modernist movement.-Early years:...
. Paris: Éditions Pierre Seghers, 1949.
- L'Enfant de Paris. (The Children of Paris). - Text by Claude Roy. Neuchâtel: La Baconnière, 1951.
- Sortilèges de Paris. (The magic of Paris). - Text by François Cali. Paris: Arthaud, 1952.
- Les Parisiens tels qu’ils sont. (The Parisians as they are.) - Text by Robert Giraud and Michel Ragon. Paris: Delpire, 1954.
- Instantanés de Paris. (Snapshots of Paris). - Preface by Blaise Cendrars. Paris: Arthaud, 1955.
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Compter en s’amusant. (Fun Counting). - Lausanne: La Guilde du Livre, 1955.
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. - Text by Arthur Gregor. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1956.
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. - Text by Elsie May Harris. London: Nelson, 1962.
- Pour que Paris soit. (This is Paris). - Text by Elsa Triolet
Elsa Yur'evna Triolet was a French writer.-Biography:Born Ella Kagan into a Jewish family of a lawyer and a music teacher in Moscow, she and her sister, Lilya Brik received excellent educations; they were able to speak fluent German and French and play the piano...
. Paris: Éditions Cercle d’Art, 1956.
- Gosses de Paris. (Children of Paris). - Text by Jean Dongués. Paris: Éditions Jeheber, 1956.
- Robert Doisneau's Paris: 148 Photographs. - Text by Blaise Cendrars. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1956.
- Paris Parade: 148 Photographs. - London: Thames & Hudson, 1956.
- Le ballet contre l'opéra. (The Ballet and The Opera). - Souillac, Lot: Mulhouse, 1956.
- A.B.C. du dépannage. - N.p.: Société des pétroles Shell Berre, 1958.
- Bistrots. (Bistros). - Text by Robert Giraud. Le Point: Revue artistique et littéraire, 57. Souillac, Lot: Mulhouse, 1960.
- Palm Springs 1960 - Robert Doisneau. Flammarion publishing 01/03/2010 EAN: 9782080301291
- Arabie, carrefour des siècles: Album. (Arabia, crossroads of the centuries. An album). - Text by Jacques Benoist-Méchin
Jacques Benoist-Méchin was a French far right politician and writer.Although active as both a writer and rightist political figure he did not fully come to prominence until the German occupation of France during World War II, which was somewhat welcomed by the Germanophile...
. Lausanne: La Guilde du livre, 1961.
- Nicolas Schöffer. - Text by Guy Habasque and Jacques Ménétrier. Neuchâtel: Éditions du Griffon, 1962.
- Cognac. - Text by Georges Vial. Cognac: Rémy Martin, 1960 (?).
- Cognac. - Text by Louise de Vilmorin
Louise Lévêque de Vilmorin was a French novelist, poet and journalist.Born in the family château at Verrières-le-Buisson, Essonne, a suburb southwest of Paris, she was heir to a great French seed company fortune, that of Vilmorin. She was afflicted with a slight limp that became a personal trademark...
. Paris: Rémy Martin, 1962.
- Marius, le forestier. (Marius, the forester. The working men). - Text by Dominique Halévy. Les hommes travaillent. Paris: Éditions Fernand Nathan, 1964.
- Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, André Vigneau: Trois photographes français. - Arles: Musée Réattu, 1965.
- Catalogue of an exhibition at Musée Réattu of Doisneau, Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography...
, and André Vigneau.
- Épouvantables Épouvantails. (Appalling Scarecrows). - Paris: Éditions Hors Mesure, 1965.
- Le Royaume d’argot. (The Kingdom of slang). - Text by Robert Giraud. Paris: Denoël, 1966.
- Catherine la danseuse. (Catherine - the dancer). - Text by Michèle Manceaux. Paris: Éditions Fernand Nathan, 1966.
- L'École polytechnique. (The Polytechnic). - Loos-lez-Lille: L. Danel, 1967.
- L'Oeil objectif. (The eye is a lens). - Marseille: Musée Cantini, 1968.
- Catalogue of an exhibition at Musée Cantini by Doisneau, Denis Brihat, Lucien Clergue
-Biography:Lucien Clergue was born in Arles. From the age of 7, he learned to play the violin. Several years later, his teacher revealed to him that he had nothing more to teach him. From a family of shopkeepers, he could not pursue further studies in a conservatory. In 1949, he learned the...
, and Jean-Pierre SudreJean-Pierre Sudre was born September 27, 1921, in Paris, France. A commercial photographer in Paris, he later moved to the south of France, where he devoted his life to workshops of "fine art" photography. He is known for his experimentation with chemicals as well as for his still lifes....
.
- Le Royaume secret du milieu. (The secret of the middle kingdom) - Text by Robert Giraud. Paris: Éditions Planète, 1969.
- My Paris. - Text: Chevalier, Maurice. Macmillan Publishers. New York. 1972
- Le Paris de Robert Doisneau et Max-Pol Fouchet. - Les éditeurs français réunis. France. 1974
- L’Enfant à la Colombe. (The Child of the Dove). - Text: Sage, James. Editions of the Oak. Paris. La Loire. Denoël. Paris. 1978
- Le Mal de Paris. (The Evil of Paris). - Text: Lépidis, Clément. Arthaud Publications. Paris. Trois Secondes d’éternité. Contrejour. Paris. 1979
- Ballade pour Violoncelle et Chambre Noir. (A Song for a Cello and a dark room). - Co-author: Baquet, Maurice. Herscher Editions. Paris. 1980
- Robert Doisneau. - Text: Chevrier, Jean-François. Belfond Editions. Paris. 1981
- Passages et Galeries du 19ème Siècle. (Passages and Galleries of the 19th Century). - Text: Delvaille, Bernard. Éditions Baslland. Paris. 1982
- Doisneau. - Photopoche, Centre National de la Photographie. France. 1983
- Paysages, Photographies. (Landscapes). - (mission photography for DATAR) Éditions Hazan. Paris. 1985
- Un Certain Robert Doisneau. - Editions of the Oak. Paris. 1986
- Pour saluer Cendrars. (In honour of Cendrars). - Text: Camilly, J. Actes Sud. Arles, France. 1987
- 60 portraits d/artists. (60 portraits of artists). - Text: Petit, Jean. Hans Grieshaber Publications. Zürich. 1988
- Doisneau. Quotations by Doisneau collected by Maisonneuve Andre. - Éditions Hazan. Paris, France. 1988
- Bonjour Monsieur Le Corbusier. (Hello Mr Le Corbusier). - Text: Petit, Jean. Hans Grieshaber Publications. Zürich. 1988
- A l’imparfait de l’objectif. (The imperfect object). - Belfond Editions. Paris. 1989
- Les Doigts Pleins d’encre. (Fingers full of ink). - Text: Cavanna. Hoëbeke Editions. Paris. 1989
- La Science de Doisneau. (The Science of Robert Doisneau). - Hoëbeke Editions. Paris. 1990
- Les Auvergnats. (People of the Auvergne). - (with Dubois, Jaques) Nathan Images. Paris. 1990
- Lettres à un Aveugle sur des Photographies de Robert Doisneau. (Letters to a blind man about the Photographs of Robert Doisneau). - Text: Roumette, Sylvain. 1990
- Le Tout sur le tout/Le Temps qu’il fait. (All about the weather). - Paris. 1990
- Le Vin des rues. - Text by Robert Giraud. Paris: Denoël, 1990.
- Rue Jacques Prévert. - Hoëbeke Editions. Paris, France. 1991
- La Compagnie des Zincs. - Text: Carradec, François Carradec. Seghers. Paris. 1991
- Les Grandes Vacances. (Summer vacation). - Text: Pennac, Daniel. Hoëbeke Editions. Paris. 1992
- Mes gens de Plume. - Writings by Doisneau collected by Dubois, Y. Éditions La Martinière. France. 1992
- Les Enfants de Germinal. (The children of Germinal). - Text: Cavanna. Hoëbeke Editions. Paris. 1993 (See also Germinal (month) - the downfall
Germinal was the seventh month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the Latin word germen, which means germination...
)
- Doisneau 40/44. - Text: Ory, Pascal. Hoëbeke Editions. Paris. 1994
- La Vie de Famille. (Family life). - Text: Ory, Pascal. Hoëbeke Editions. Paris. 1994
- Robert Doisneau ou la Vie d’un photographie. (Robert Doisneau - the life of a photographer. - Text: Hamilton, Peter. Hoëbeke Editions. Paris. 1995
- Mes Parisiens. (My Parisians). - Nathan Publications. Paris. 1997
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