Beginning his photographic pursuits at age seven using a Kodak Brownie, Jacques-Henri Lartigue captured the essence of early twentieth-century French leisure and innovation. His expansive archive documents the formative years of aviation, grand prix racing, and Parisian fashion, preserving candid moments of movement and play that predated his emergence as a late-career success in the international art world.
Early Photographic Experiments
Born in 1894 in Courbevoie, Lartigue grew up in a wealthy French family. He utilized early camera technology to record his surroundings, focusing on personal projects like home-built race cars, gliders, and kites. His curiosity extended to major technological leaps of the era, leading him to photograph pioneers such as Louis Blériot and Gabriel Voisin, alongside competitive sporting events like the Coupe Gordon Bennett.
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While photography remained a constant activity through his personal journals, Lartigue shifted his professional focus to painting during middle age. He studied at the Académie Julian and consistently exhibited at official Paris salons starting in 1922. His commitment to painting was significant enough that he participated in the art competition during the 1924 Summer Olympics, establishing painting as his primary source of income.
Professional Recognition
His career reached a turning point in 1963 when Charles Rado of the Rapho agency introduced his boyhood photographs to John Szarkowski at the Museum of Modern Art. This led to a feature in Life magazine and broad international acclaim. Following this exposure, Lartigue secured various fashion commissions and was selected by President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in 1974 to capture the official presidential portrait.
Artistic Legacy and Associations
Lartigue maintained connections with prominent figures including Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, and Sacha Guitry. He contributed to the film industry, working on sets for directors such as Federico Fellini and François Truffaut. In 1954, he co-founded the association Gens d'images. His work resides in numerous major institutions, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the George Eastman Museum.
Fast facts
- Born: 1894, Courbevoie, France
- Died: 1986, Nice, France
- Education: Académie Julian
- Key photographic subjects: Automobile races, aviation, fashion
- Notable commission: 1974 official portrait of President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
- Professional association: Co-founder of Gens d'images
- Notable publication: Diary of a Century (1971)
- Olympic involvement: 1924 Summer Olympics art competition
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Lartigue photograph most frequently?
He documented his family and friends at play, aviation pioneers, tennis players like Suzanne Lenglen, and female fashion models.
How was Lartigue's photography discovered?
At age 69, Charles Rado of the Rapho agency brought his work to the attention of the Museum of Modern Art curator John Szarkowski.
