Born in the North of France in 1926, Jean Marquis arrived in Paris in 1949. He held various jobs before meeting Robert Capa, who encouraged him to become a photojournalist. At first a member of Magnum from 1953 to 1957, he continued his career independently, contributing to L’Express, Time-Life and Science et Vie, among others. Political life, daily life, portraits: Jean Marquis looked on the men of his time with humor and compassion. His black-and-white photographs, deeply humanist, are remarkable for their impeccable framing and modern lighting.
Roger-Viollet is in charge of distributing Jean Marquis’ photographs, including a substantial set of images of Paris kept at the Bibliothèque historique de la ville.
