This morning, of course, it is the death of Jean Claude Gautrand we were talking about.
Three beautiful emails received.
From Bernard Plossu:
My old Jean-Jacques,
here is Jean-Claude leaving us, it is very sad – upsetting.
I just want to say that for my generation, he was “Mr. photo”, the one who received at his home, at their home, Josette and him, all the young photographers.
He helped us all to start, we owe him everything.
I just wanted to tell you because we will never forget him.
The nights with Brigitte and Titou the children, the trips in the North!
The passion of photography, he communicated it to so many people!
And his photos of Les Halles are the Atget of the twentieth century.
Plo.
PS: Here is a portrait of him in 1972, the picture I sent you before was taken when we went together to see the bunkers, which became his “fortresses of the derisory”.
That day, we had some good fun …
From Jane Evelyn Atwood:
Jean-Claude Gautrand was self-effacing unlike many photographers of his generation. A little in the background, he was a “gentleman photographer”, sweet and really kind, with a politeness of the past, which is rarely seen today. Of a calm dynamism, measured but decided, this man possessed a silent force. He fought for us all, photographers, with sincerity, without deriving any glory. His images reflect the soul of the man he was.
We rarely saw each other, in fact, and especially I regret having met him so few times in recent years – very busy! Now it’s too late. At least I had the great privilege of having known him all my life as a photographer in France. I will miss him and I will not forget him.
Jane Evelyn Atwood
From Solange Brihat:
We are very very sad …
A companion from the beginning, Denis finds himself alone and sad.
Solange Brihat
