Paris Photo 2009

Paris Photo is getting each year better and better. Lot of people to admire the selection from worldwide galleries. Here's a sample of the 2009 edition. See you next year !

Le déjeuner sur l'herbe (Modern) variations

Le déjeuner sur l'herbe (1863) by E. Manet is one of the most fascinating work of modern painting. It was a real shock (at that time...) to see the nude women casually having picnic with the two dandies.  

As Picasso said about : "When I see Le déjeuner sur l'herbe, I'm saying to myself pain for the future". The realism of the subject is striking. For the first time in history, you can't find any justification for the nude, any pretext from mythology. The men are simply ignoring the woman, engaged in their conversation. The light of the paint is like a photographic light in studio, you do not see any shadow and the atmosphere is unnatural. Strange also are the dress of the men, with indoor looks, rather than dressed for a summer lunch.

I shot these 2 versions in Paris Photo in 2007 and 2008.