Philippe Pons and Eric Cuvellier have informed us of the passing of Jean-Claude Dewolf. Eric Cuvellier wrote this tribute.
It is with great sadness that we learned today of the death of a great photographer and a great, loyal friend: Jean-Claude Dewolf passed away on 27 May in Paris, at the age of 90.
Jean-Claude had an exceptional career. The grandson and son of photographers, he attended the École de Vaugirard, which he left early along with his friend Jean-Loup Sieff and other students to join the renowned school in Vevey, Switzerland, which offered them a training more suited to their tastes.
Having assisted Lucien Lorelle and subsequently taken over his studio, Jean-Claude swiftly established his reputation as an advertising photographer, signing major campaigns for brands including Perrier, the SNCF and many others.
Alongside Jacques Rouchon and Henri Mardycks, he founded the “Studio des Plantes”, a true Parisian institution throughout the 1970s.
It is there that I met him more than 50 years ago, and it is there that he took me under his wing.
Jean-Claude served for many years as president of the jury at the École de l’image, “les Gobelins”. I joined him there alongside his dear friend Philippe Pons, Christian Chamourat and other dedicated volunteer professionals.
He was close to the greatest photographers of his time, who sought his counsel: Willy Ronis, Alexey Brodovitch, Georges Tourdjman, Robert Doisneau, Marc Garanger, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Jean-François Bauret and many other photographers who were members of the ANPPM.
A cultivated and erudite man, Jean-Claude was one of the rare photography experts appointed to the Cour de Cassation.
He had an exceptional openness of mind and shared his passion and friendship generously, welcoming us without reservation to his table on the Boulevard Voltaire, alongside his wife Andrée Collesson, whom he has now rejoined.
In recognition of his remarkable work at the École des Gobelins, for which he greatly contributed to the current excellence, Jean-Claude was awarded the Palmes Académiques.
When retirement age arrived, Jean-Claude did not stop there: he developed a passionate interest in the genealogy of the Dewolf family, and in the design and publication of numerous digital photography books paying tribute to his family, his assistants, his advertising campaigns and his travels.
We extend our most sincere condolences to his entire family, with a particular thought for his stepson Didier, to whom he was so close, and for his dear nephew Julien.
Eric Cuvillier
