A pearl in the center of nowhere! In the middle of a forest of wind turbines in this Berry champagne (between Bourges and Vierzon), is the town of Graçay. This village maintains a close relationship with photography since its inception. Lucien Prévost [1875-1911], whose name was given to the museum, was a young engineer passionate about photography, who had an adventurous and incredible life, he was enthusiastic about the cinematography from the first assays of the Lumière brothers. He worked at Pathé Frères, then set up on his own to constantly improve the cameras of the time. His contribution was essential to the development of modern cinema and could have been more important had he not passed away when he was still young.
Graçay loved photography with photographs hung on railings, in shop windows and in exhibitions scattered around different places. The will is present some external relations should allow to raise to a higher level the works offered to the public, this community deserves it.
The jewel is this superb and completely unexpected photography museum on the Graçay market place. It is the result of a beneficial agreement between the owner of one of the world’s finest collections of photographic and cinematographic materials and a succession of dynamic local authorities. The result offers the public exceptional access to different photographic technologies from the appearance of the first tools to the present day.
Rémy Duroir is the owner of this collection which began more than half a century ago, he is himself an encyclopedia of photographic techniques and a universal catalog of materials and creative potentials offered by each of them. This key to everything about photography (author, curator, trainer, organizer, coach, lecturer, etc.) from his former professional life is a very good teacher both for curious neophytes and for seasoned professionals who can visit this cave of picture boxes.
Through the thousands of devices and documents that await your visit this mythical place, you will find the origins of all these unforgettable images that have dazzled you for two centuries.
Thanks to Graçay and thanks to Rémy Duroir for this brilliant initiative which allows all photographers who still create with their heads to see that the creations of their images first go through the creation of wonderful tools.
Thierry Maindrault
Musée de la Photographie
«Lucien Prévost»
02 Place du Marché
18310 Graçay [France]
+ 33 2 48 51 41 80
