On the occasion of the release of the new book by Pascal Blanchard, The Invention of the Orient, published by Éditions de La Martinière, L ‘Atelier Yann Arthus-Bertrand, a space dedicated to photographic expression opened in 2013, exhibits a selection of forty-three contemporary prints made from images from the collections of the Roger-Viollet agency, depositary of the original photographic plates.
Between 1860 and 1910 operators of major photographic studios of the time were sent across the Mediterranean to capture everyday “indigenous” life. They return from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria with plenty of portraits, landscapes and street scenes to edit postcards, stereo cabinets or illustrate publications.
The Roger-Viollet Agency, founded in 1938, distributes this ethnographic inventory considered as one of the great iconographic sources of the Maghreb from this period. The agency is now part of the Parisienne de Photographie, structure in charge of scanning and exploiting the iconographic heritage of the City of Paris.
From the Orient, 1860-1910
Photographs of Léon & Lévy studios and workshop Neurdein brothers (Roger-Viollet collections)
October 14 to November 12, 2016
Yann Arthus-Bertrand workshop
15 Rue de Seine
75006 Paris, France
http://www.atelieryannarthusbertrand.com/
