Les métiers d'art dans les photographies de François Kollar

Jardin Monica Vitti (de l'Hôtel de Sens)

As part of the bicentenary of photography (2026-2027), the bibliothèque Forney is presenting an exhibition of photographs by François Kollar who, between 1931 and 1934, captured France at work. From 3 September to 5 December 2026, the bibliothèque Forney is organizing an exhibition in the jardin Monica Vitti (formerly the jardin de l'Hôtel de Sens), located next to the library. This outdoor exhibition presents around twenty enlargements of photographs by François Kollar (1904-1979), commissioned in 1931 by the éditions Horizons de France and published in a work entitled La France travaille. The result is a documentary work of great value, and no doubt unique in France, but also a series of portraits of men and women, presented with sensitivity and respect. More than 1,800 original prints and nearly 2,000 negatives, published or not, were donated in 1975 by Pierre Lagrange, director of Horizons de France, to the bibliothèque Forney. The exhibition focuses on the creative process in the crafts, starting from a common point of departure, drawing, through to execution, whether manual or mechanical. The most classic example is given, in the graphic arts, by the engraver (on wood, on copper) and the lithographer, whose work enables the dissemination of the original piece. Three other worlds are presented, in the field of applied arts: ceramic decoration, textile creation using various techniques (weaving, printing, tapestry, embroidery), and finally haute couture.

Source: Paris Open Data ↗