Jacques Henri Lartigue

This volume serves as a comprehensive retrospective of the work of Jacques-Henri Lartigue, a photographer and painter whose life spanned nearly the entire twentieth century. Published by Actes Sud in 2010, the book draws from the vast archives Lartigue meticulously maintained throughout his life, capturing the Belle Époque in France, the rise of early aviation, and the leisure culture of the French Riviera. The collection functions as a visual diary, documenting his transition from an amateur child photographer obsessed with movement to a celebrated artist whose work was rediscovered by the art world in the 1960s.

The design of the monograph reflects the aesthetic of Lartigue’s own personal albums, focusing on the spontaneous and lighthearted nature of his black-and-white and color photography. Actes Sud aimed to curate his extensive body of work into a cohesive narrative that highlights his unique perspective on family, sport, and the passage of time. The book was received as a definitive reference for those studying mid-century French photography, valued for its high-quality reproductions that honor Lartigue's technical focus on speed, framing, and the joy of the mundane moment.