Doisneau’s studio in the Paris suburb of Montrouge was not far from the Musée Rodin in Meudon, where he sometimes photographed his models away from the hustle and bustle of the capital. The Villa des Brillants is where he chose to photograph the artist Philippe Druillet, on 25 September, 1993, while the two friends were working on a project for a comic book called Paris de Fous. This would be Doisneau’s last portrait – and his last project. He died six months later, and never saw the finished work, which was not published until 1995.
These pictures were the starting point for the exhibition: Doisneau’s familiarity with the Musée Rodin inspired us to present his work through his close connections with sculptors and sculpture. This rich theme is illustrated by some thirty prints, featuring iconic photographs alongside unknown works. Throughout his career – whether for photo reports, commissions, impromptu occasions or meetings with friends – Doisneau frequented the studios of many sculptors including Arp, Canonici, César, Giacometti, Hajdu, Hernandez, Henri Laurens, Parpan, Tinguely, Niki de Saint Phalle and Voisin.
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