Robert Doisneau's handwritten letter (1988)

The famous French photographer Robert Doisneau, concerned, talks about his cameras and sends pictures to a friend.

Handwritten letter from Robert Doisneau to Jean-Joseph Sanfourche. One page. In French. 21 cm x 29.7 cm. Probably in Paris, December 28, 1988. Excellent condition. Single piece.

Extract

(...) I almost don't write, motivated as I am by work, I purposely develop an activity that is not convenient for the old man I've become, but that makes me forget the somewhat sad situation in which I find myself since my mother's illness. woman. So I reopen my toy box full of photographic material. This morning, remorse made me look for some pictures of cats that I send you (...).

Robert Doisneau (1912 - 1994) was one of the most important French photographers of the 20th century. Passionate about Paris, he dedicated his professional life to photographing the streets of the French capital. He tirelessly portrayed everyday scenes, such as the famous photograph "The Kiss from the Hotel de Ville" (Paris, 1950), images that were transformed into calendars and postcards and became icons of French life. Very popular in France and admired all over the world, he was known for his modesty and ironic imagery, mixing the social classes of the streets and cafes of Paris; but Doisneau also worked with the French elite, producing photographic reports for Vogue magazine and being avant-garde in the portrait of celebrities in their daily lives, such as Pablo Picasso.

"The wonders of everyday life are so exciting. No film director can organize the unexpected you find on the street" said Robert Doisneau.

In this letter, the artist talks about his box full of photographic material and the classic photographs of cats that a painter and poet friend had asked him for. He was old and worried, but his passion for photography and Paris motivated him and acted as an escape from a difficult reality, his wife battling a serious illness. Finally, a rare letter whose content will delight lovers of photography, Paris, French culture... and cats.