PHOTO:Jacques Henri Lartigue

Today is the occasion to bear in mind the French Photographer and Artist Jacques Henri Lartigue (13/6/1894-12/9/1986). At the Grand Prix of the “Automobile Club of France” in 1912, he succeeded taking a photograph that we interpret today above all as a metaphor of the speed of the technological age.

By Dimitris Lempesis

Born in Courbevoie, France to a wealthy family, Jacques Henri Lartigue started taking photographs when he was seven. He photographed his friends and family at play, racing home-built race cars; making kites, gliders as well as aeroplanes and climbing the Eiffel Tower. He also photographed sport events, such as the Coupe Gordon Bennett and the French Grand Prix and early flights of aviation pioneers. He produced a vast number of images in all formats and media including glass plates in various sizes, autochromes, and film. His most frequent muses were his three wives, and his mistress of the early 1930s, the Romanian model Renée Perle. He was the first photographer who followed the motion with his camera. On 26/6/12 he took 160 photos at the Grand Pricx de l’ A.C.F. the significance of those photos was discovered after many years. At age of 69 his photographs were ‘discovered’ by Charles Rado of the Rapho agency who introduced Lartigue to John Szarkowski, curator of the Museum of Modern Art, Szarkowski realized the photos were astonishing, primarily because of the simplicity and grace of their graphic structure and he was looking at the early undiscovered work of Cartier-Bresson’s papa… and arranged an exhibition of his work at the museum. Life magazine published the photos in 1963. Although best known as a photographer, Lartigue was also a painter. He often showed-up in the official salons in Paris and in the south of France from 1922. All the photographs of Lartigue, are overflowing the confidence and joy of life, from awe and admiration for the phenomena of life and a constant surprise for the world. He described as the “eternal teenager” with a constant wonder and admiration in the eyes for what was happening around him. He is considered one of the greatest photographers of the World.