Robert Doisneau: Palm Springs

by Robert Doisneau, Jean-Paul Dubois (Introduction)

A previously unpublished collection of Robert Doisneau’s color photography provides a unique opportunity to revisit the early years of one of America’s legendary holiday destinations. In 1960, Robert Doisneau was invited by Fortune magazine to cover Palm Springs, the hottest travel destination of the day. Renowned as a playground for the rich and famous, as well as for a silver-haired and well-heeled clientele, it was a world of swimming pools awash with bobbing beehives, martini-fueled parties, and relaxed games of golf, all unfolding against a desert backdrop. There, Doisneau took hundreds of photographs, twenty-three of which were published in the magazine. The rest have been rediscovered in his archives and one hundred are featured here for the first time. Doisneau is best known for his black and white portraits of Parisian street scenes. This rare color collection—which is supplemented with a facsimile reproduction of Doisneau’s original Fortune article—offers a new perspective on his photographic legacy. Accompanying these nostalgic images are extracts from the photographer’s personal correspondence—small masterpieces of derision and self-derision in which he describes being marooned in the "world capital of winter golf"—and an equally amusing introduction written by award-winning French novelist Jean-Paul Dubois.

Genres: Photography

156 pages, Hardcover

First published September 7, 2010

About the author

He was a French photographer. In the 1930s he used a Leica on the streets of Paris. He and Henri Cartier-Bresson were pioneers of photojournalism. He is renowned for his 1950 image Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville (Kiss by the Town Hall), a photograph of a couple kissing in the busy streets of Paris. Doisneau was appointed a Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of Honour in 1984.

Reviews

[Joyce Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful photo essay done by the famous French photographer Robert Doisneau in the Fall of 1960 of Palm Springs. Mr. Doisneau was hired to take photos of the golf courses in the area for a magazine, and captured the lives and times during his stay in the desert. Love the vintage cars and clothing! Palm Springs is one of my favorite places to visit and I love that they have embraced their mid-century heritage!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great snapshot of time & place.