Robert Doisneau

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Robert Doisneau (April 14, 1912 - April 1, 1994) was a French photographer noted for his frank and often humorous depictions of Parisian street life.

Among his most recognizable work is Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville (Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville), a photo of a couple kissing in the busy streets of Paris. Who the couple were was a mystery until in 1993 Denise and Jean-Louis Lavergne took him to court for taking the picture without their knowledge. This action forced Doisneau to admit that he actually posed the shot in 1950 using actor/models Françoise Bornet and her then boyfriend Jacques Carteaud.^[1] Françoise was given an original print as part of her payment. In April 2005 she sold the print for 155,000 € at an auction. All in all Paris was one of the favorite photographic subjects of Doisneau^[2].

Doisneau's work gives unusual prominence and dignity to children's street culture; 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.

[edit] Biography

• 1912 Born in Gentilly, Val-de-Marne
• 1929 Graduated from lithography school l'École Estienne in Chantilly
• 1930 Camera assistant to sculptor André Vigneau
• 1932 First photo story in L'Excelsior
• 1934-39 Publicity photographer for Renault; fired for truancy
• 1939 Drafted into the French army ("la Résistance") during World War II, where he acted as a soldier, photographer and printer
• 1946 Joined the Rapho photo agency
• 1949-52 Photographer for French Vogue
• 1992 Retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford
• 1994 Died in Montrouge

[edit] External links

• Robert Doisneau: Seconds Snatched from Eternity A short biography and collection of Doisneau photographs.
• Doisneau's 'Kiss' sells for nearly a quarter million dollars
• Encyclopaedia Britannica, Robert Doisneau
• BBC News report on the auction of Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville
• Le copain de Doisneau

[edit] References