Jacques Henri Lartigue‘s L’épreuve de la couleur sheds light on a little-known part of the famous photographer’s work: his fascination with stereoscopic Autochrome – one of the first color photography processes just introduced. The 90 preserved plates, produced from 1912 to 1928 then in 1946, are presented here for the first time in their entirety and in their original format. This process constitutes a formidable tool for exploration and renews his relationship with the medium, in contrast to his work on speed. More attentive to the construction of the image and to developing a wide chromatic palette, the photographer places himself more in the posture of the painter than of the instant photographer.
The test of color
A remarkable witness of his time and pioneer in photographic practice, Jacques Henri Lartigue is particularly known for his black and white photos of a world in the midst of the industrial revolution. He captures the moments of life of a wealthy society – from sports sessions to social gatherings from Cap d’Antibes to Chamonix – but also the speed and technical innovations, being passionate about automobile and the new possibilities offered by photography.
His work on Autochrome required him to change his approach because it was based on careful technical preparation with a very long and precise exposure time for his staged compositions. The end result is not a print but a stereoscopic view that is projected onto a screen. Lartigue strives to represent scenes from the daily life of his circle of friends and family, from Sunday walks to winter vacations. He fills the frame with bright colors, in graphic constructions composed of a mixture of sunny landscapes, faces, flowers and carefully chosen clothes. He thus reveals a more introspective facet of his art, within which he studies the harmony of colors and shapes, thus moving away from capturing the moment to create works of rare beauty. As Marion Perceval, director of the Jacques Henri Lartigue Donation, points out in the book: “He must evolve and is no longer waiting for the “decisive” moment but rather in creating the perfect moment.”
Jacques Henri Lartigue : L’épreuve de la couleur
Atelier EXB
Project management: Marion Perceval
texts
– Marion Perceval, director of the Jacques Henri Lartigue donation
– Kevin Moore, art historian
Two versions:
French and English Hardcover, 19 × 22.5 cm 160 pages
150 color photographs
ISBN: 978-2-36511-394-6
Price: €45 including tax
https://exb.fr/
With the support of the Fondation Jacques Henri Lartigue sheltered by the Fondation de France la Médiathèque du patrimoine et de la photographie (MPP)
