Jacques-Henri Lartigue - Photographer

Jacques-Henri Lartigue (1894-1986) is a central figure of importance in the history of photography. "An amateur graced with genius for forms", at the age of 12 he was already producing photographs capturing the carefree antics of his eccentric family and friends. It was in these early years that he developed a fascination for the subjects that concerned him throughout his life: the immensity of the world to a child; the seaside; women of fashion; and above all, movement -from people walking or jumping, to flying machines and motor cars. Lartigue's photographic work was little-known until the 1960s, which gave him a unique freedom to create images for himself alone, unfettered by the criticism of others. His images evoke the sparkle of a long-gone era, documenting an idyllic world of ladies with parasols and gravity-defying hats; people flying kites or strolling in the park, on bicyles and at the races. This book offers an illustrated tribute to this photographer.