A “KNOWING WIT AND AFFECTION FOR HUMAN FOIBLES”

(DOISNEAU, Robert). DONGÙES, Jean. Gosses de Paris [Children of Paris]. Paris and Geneva: Jeheber, (1956). Square quarto, original ivory stiff wrappers, original photographic dust jacket. $300.

First trade edition, a whimsical look at French children, with 50 black-and-white photogravure plates. From the collection of Doisneau’s former assistant, award-winning photojournalist Peter Turnley.

In the captivating images of Robert Doisneau (1912-94), a leader of French humanist photography who was one of only five French photographers featured in a landmark 1951 MoMA exhibit, the familiar and "commonplace become the noteworthy and extraordinary… Doisneau specialized in images of the rich social fabric of Parisian life… characterized by their knowing wit and affection for human foibles" (New York Times). In Gosses de Paris, Doisneau continues a collaboration with French writers, as he did with Blaise Cendrars in his landmark first photobook, La Banlieue de Paris (1949). Here Doisneau's beguiling images of French children are combined with the poetry of noted writer Jean Dongùes (pen name of Jean-Émile Dommergues). Text in French, with a preface by Jean Nohain; first trade edition published only in wrappers, printed same year as limited edition, no priority established. See Parr & Badger I:201; Roth, 132. From the collection of noted photojournalist Peter Turnley, who once served as Doisneau's assistant and has since covered "almost every important international news event of the last 15 years" for Newsweek and Harper's Magazine (New York Times); signed by Turnley.

An exceptionally fine copy with a distinctive association.