Willy Ronis
Book Recommendations:
Recommended by Willy Ronis
“Willy Ronis (1910-2009) was one of the great photographers of the twentieth century. Selected by MoMA curator Edward Steichen for inclusion in two groundbreaking exhibitions, The Family of Man and Five French Photographers, his work depicts the poetic and poignant reality of life in postwar France. From carefree children to embracing lovers, and from sun-dappled Provence to the cobblestones of Paris, Ronis's humanist eye found joy in the simplest moments of everyday life. In his last decades, Ronis donated his complete works to the French State. To accompany this gift, he made a personal selection of what he considered to be his most noteworthy images―590 in total―mounting them in a series of albums and providing meticulous commentary on each photograph. Combining anecdotes with historical and technical context, they constitute an essential document on the photographer's long career. This exceptional volume reproduces, in full, the contents of Ronis's albums for the first time. Together they form a touching, intimate portrait of the life, career, and worldview of a singular artist in the history of photography.” (from Amazon)
by Willy Ronis, Matthieu Rivallin·You?
by Willy Ronis, Matthieu Rivallin·You?
Willy Ronis curated and commentated on the iconic images featured in this beautiful volume that retraces his career and contributions to photography and photojournalism. A key figure in twentieth-century photography, Willy Ronis conveyed the poetic reality of postwar Paris and Provence in iconic black-and-white photographs. Influenced by Alfred Stieglitz and Ansel Adams, and amicable with his contemporary Magnum photographers, Ronis was the first French photographer to contribute to Life magazine. In the 1950s, MoMA curator Edward Steichen featured Ronis—along with Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, and Brassaï—in the groundbreaking exhibitions The Family of Man and Five French Photographers. Throughout his life, this powerhouse of humanist photography kept meticulous records of his work, curating each era into albums, which are reproduced here for the first time. Timeless photographs of postwar France and its inhabitants are accompanied by the photographer’s original observations and comments, framing the images within their technical and historical context. Photography historian Matthieu Rivallin’s critical perspective adds nuance to the photographer’s notes, and the ensemble is a groundbreaking and definitive reference on the myriad aspects of the artists’ immense career and an essential volume for all photography aficionados.