This exhibition reveals how the sea and fishing communities were perceived by photographers from the mid-19th century to the early 21st century, through nearly 130 pieces from the museum’s collection presented to the public for the first time. Opening the double exhibition, it provides keys to understanding the work of Jean Gaumy. Fishing is rarely featured in the collections of the Musée National de la Marine. It nevertheless constitutes a significant part of its photographic collections, gathered according to the institution’s acquisition policy or resulting from collaborations with certain photographers. The panorama they paint of the practice of fishing does not seek to be homogeneous but draws the contours of what could characterize fishing photography. The democratization of the practice of photography at the end of the 19th century and the wide distribution of images play a decisive role in the constitution of the collective imagination. In the field of fishing, iconography and stories have long highlighted the harshness of the profession and the importance of the community of fishermen. Historical perspective and the different levels of interpretation possible for the same photograph today encourage us to question the role of photographers and the choices they have made to highlight the gestures, objects, or situations representative of fishing. This exhibition highlights the diversity of perspectives of this demanding profession. It presents the work of photographers whose clearly identified output has achieved a certain renown, such as François Kollar, Anita Conti, Lucien Chauffard, and Serge Lucas, as well as others whose work has been less widely distributed. It covers more than a century of photography, from the end of the 19th century to the early years of the 21st century.
La pêche au-delà du cliché ; inédits de la collection
Until August 17, 2025
Musée National de la Marine
Palais de Chaillot
Accès 17 place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 75016 Paris
Métro : Trocadéro (9, 6)
Tel : 01 53 65 69 69
Bus : n°22, 30, 32, 63
www.musee-marine.fr
