Renée Perle photographed by J. H. Lartigue

“Florette” Beatrice Brandini

At the MEF, Museum Ettore Fico di Torino, there is a beautiful anthology dedicated to one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century: Jacques Henri Lartigue. They are not simple photographs but little masterpieces, poems in black and white. The exhibition will end on June 21, you can visit it if you return home “richer”.

Renée Perle photographed by J. H. Lartigue in 1931

Marseille, 1938. Photos by Jacques Henri Lartigue

Jacques Henri Lartigue Photos

I love Lartigue from always, together with Horst, Cecil Beaton and George Hoyningen-Huene are for me the greatest photographers of the last century, unforgettable, those who made the photograph a charm that photograph that tells an epoch, a magical moment in history and does so well become an icon and muse.

Jacques Henri Lartigue Photos

Jacques Henri Lartigue Photos, 1934

H.J.Lartigue has made the history of world photography, but its discovery and subsequent notoriety, took place in 69 years, thanks to a young curator of the photography department of the MoMA in New York, John Szarkowski, and to the great master Richard Avedon. And it is at MoMA which held his first exhibition, in 1963 and that the American magazine Life dedicated the service of 10 pages, final consecration to Lartigue.

Renée Perle photographed by J. H. Lartigue, 1930. For me ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE!

Renée Perle photographed by J. H. Lartigue in 1930

Child prodigy began photographing at the age of seven when his father gave him his first camera, as there will never stop, but instead will make his passion of photography storing thousands of photos in a diary full of reflections, annotations, sketches and drawings. The whole of his photographic work, donated by the artist to the French state, has more than 100,000 shots.

Renée Perle, Eden Roc, 1931. Photos by Jacques Henri Lartigue

 

Picasso photographed by Jacques Henri Lartigue, 1955

Since the First World War alongside his passion for photography to that of painting, illustration and stage design, a bit as the greatest of the twentieth century who often have ventured into different art forms, showing a modern and extremely eclectic spirit.

Jacques Henri Lartigue Photos, Royan 1966

 

Jacques Henri Lartigue Photos

Lartigue with his meticulousness, the result of the desire not to lose and nothing to forget, has enabled us not only to benefit from his immense and wonderful artistic heritage (the Turin exhibition bears witness), but also to better understand the spirit of an era, with the first motor vehicles, the first airplanes, the passion for movement, (futurists manifesto), the beautiful world,  well Lartigue has made known to modernity and progress.

Renée Perle photographed by J. H. Lartigue

Renée Perle photographed by J. H. Lartigue

 

Renée Perle photographed by J. H. Lartigue, 1931

The best shots, at least for me, are the ones that depict the beautiful Renée Perle, a model of Romanian origin who Lartigue met in Paris and with whom he created images remained in the history of photography, fashion, elegance timeless, without  artifices. La Perle was not only charming, hugely charismatic, with a taste for the avant-garde and with a very personal style, such as use tank tops men, baggy pants, rings and bracelets in an “excessive”.

      

Renée in 2015, by Beatrice Brandini

If I were to use only one word to describe he I think I would use the word ELEGANT, because Jacques Henri Lartigue was just so,  his shots are extremely elegant. Someone has called the Proust of photography, in which register this through a photograph has already passed, evidence of a moment that may become history.

Jacques Henri Lartigue Photos

Thanks JHL!

Good life to all!

Beatrice