Jay Maisel left us this weekend at the age of 95. One of the last icons of Photography, a master of color. In early 2025, he and Jean-Jacques Naudet spoke to each other after years apart. The result was a Special Edition put together entirely by Jay, in which he speaks in his own words. Here it is again, on this day dedicated to him. Also, to celebrate his 94th birthday, his former assistant Albert (Al) Normandin had an idea, and the result, Dear Jay, closes out today’s menu.
Jean-Jacques Naudet thus introduced the special edition published in March 2025:
An email on January 15th: “Hello Jean-Jacques. I like your site. Would you like to show some of my images?”
It had been 40 years since we last spoke.
Jay Maisel : It was the legendary arrival of color in American photography in the 60s and 70s. Jay Maisel, Art Kane, Ernst Haas, Bill Silano and Pete Turner would revolutionize everything. They are the heroes of PHOTO and we published them at least once every year. Air France adoring the Filipacchi group at the time, we payed these photographers with 1st class plane tickets.
In 1975, when I first arrived in N.Y, Jay invited me to dinner.
“I’m at 190 Bowery, the former Germanian Bank, you’ll find it easy.”
It was probably one of the seediest neighborhoods in New York. The first time I went to his house for dinner, I had to step over 5 bums paralyzed by alcohol and drugs.
6 floors: 1500 square meters per floor and in the vault rooms, Jay had installed his archives!
He bought this place in the late 60’s for $ 102,000, he sold it 5 years ago for $ 55 million.
We have published Jay in PHOTO 8 times, I believe.
I have memories of fabulous images. When I suggested a retrospective, the response was scathing: “Jean-Jacques, I don’t live in the past! Let me surprise you. ”
I kept quiet and here is the result: Sublime!
Jean-Jacques Naudet
