Robert Doisneau - Le Paris de Robert Doisneau et Max-Pol Fouchet - 1974

Well-known book by famous French humanist photographer Robert Doisneau (1912-1994), with Henri Cartier-Bresson a pioneer of photojournalism, known for his 1950 image "Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville" ("The Kiss by the City Hall"), a photograph of a couple kissing on a busy Parisian street.

STRONGLY LIMITED TO 1000 NUMBERED COPIES (here number 974/1000).

Mentioned here:
Hans-Michael Koetzle, "Eyes on Paris. Paris im Fotobuch. 1890 bis heute" ("Paris in
Photobooks. 1890 until today"), pages 276/277

TRUE FIRST ORIGINAL FRENCH PRINTING from 1974 -
not to mix with later editions and other editions in other languages.

Welcome to the auction by Anatole Desachy (France) and Ecki Heuser (Germany) in honor of Paris. To celebrate the 27th edition of „Paris Photo“, the biggest event for photography worldwide, we have gathered 27 photobooks about Paris each.

IF YOU WIN MORE THAN 1 OF MY BOOKS IN THIS AUCTION, YOU WILL PAY ONLY 1 X SHIPPING COSTS -WORLDWIDE.

Les Éditeurs Francais Réunis, Paris. 1974. First French edition, first printing.

Paperback. 215 x 270 mm. 188 pages. Photos: Robert Doisneau. Text: Max-Pol Fouchet. Text in French.

Condition:
Inside fresh and clean with no marks and with no foxing; first five pages with neat dog-ear at the bottom right corner, all other pages fresh and flawless, so no other remarkable flaws or defects. Outside fresh with little trace of use; lightly rubbed and used at the corners. Overall fine condition.

Great photobook by Robert Doisneau - in the TRUE ORIGINAL FIRST FRENCH PRINTING.

"A book of more cultural-historical than artistic interest, this is probably Doisneau's angriest work. He had already begun to explore a changing Paris in the 196s.
On the one hand, all kinds of historical details that had contributed significantly to the city's charm were disappearing. On the other hand, unrestrained private transport was pushing its way into even the smallest side street. Doisneau photographs house entrances, shop windows, advertising signs, especially the advertising murals executed by Benoist and his artist colleagues, and on the other hand - this time equipped with a 35 mm camera and telephoto lens - follows the traces of an automobileism that degrades pedestrians to rabbits and largely obscures the view of the city. The book, designed as a dense collage, could have become a sharp statement. But again, it is the interspersed ‘classics’, familiar motifs from the 1950s (such as ‘Dream Creatures’ or ‘Hell’, both from 1952), that take the edge off the book or refer to a Doisneau that the public knows and appreciates.
If we disregard the boldly mounted opening and closing credits with the reference to a city blocked by vehicles, ‘Le Paris de Robert Doisneau et Max-Pol Fouchet’ conveys less the impression of an endangered metropolis than that of an intact myth, at least in the visual section. The book remains indecisive and is neither politically nor aesthetically coherent. Robert Doisneau, the thoroughly self-critical author of his pictures, was - it seems - not always the author of his books."
(Hans-Michael Koetzle)

"Robert Doisneau was appointed a Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of Honour in 1984 by then French president, François Mitterrand.
Doisneau is remembered for his modest, playful, and ironic images of amusing juxtapositions, mingling social classes, and eccentrics in contemporary Paris streets and cafes. Influenced by the work of André Kertész, Eugène Atget, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, in more than twenty books of photography, he presented a charming vision of human frailty and life as a series of quiet, incongruous moments.
Doisneau's work gives unusual prominence and dignity to children's street culture; returning again and again to the theme of children at play in the city, unfettered by parents. His work treats their play with seriousness and respect."
(Wikipedia)

"Max-Pol Fouchet (1913-1980) was a French writer, art critic and television journalist."
(Wikipedia)