In January 1898, Robert Demachy, a major figure in pictorialism, published a passionate plea for photography in the Bulletin du Photo-Club de Paris. "The error of photographers," he wrote, "is to believe that artistic vision and imagination confer themselves on the darkroom." His challenge was to transcend mere technical mastery and achieve true artistic depth.
Céline Laguarde, the audacity of pictorialism
A challenge brilliantly met by Céline Laguarde, now honored in a retrospective at the Musée d'Orsay. Although she officially joined the Photo-Club in 1901, Laguarde lived up to Demachy's expectations, perfecting her techniques and exploring new ways of bringing her art to life. Her prints, admirably preserved, bear witness to her quest for innovation and her taste for experimentation.
Well-deserved recognition, long after
The exhibition Céline Laguarde: Photographe (1873-1961) continues the reflections initiated in 2015 with Qui a peur des femmes photographes? a joint exploration between the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie. Curator Thomas Galifot, on discovering Laguarde's work in period magazines, was struck by the technical quality of her work and the recognition she enjoyed at the time.
After years of research, Galifot has assembled the artist's personal archives, providing the basis for a dedicated exhibition. Its ambition? To present Laguarde as a major photographer of the pre-war period, beyond gendered categories, and underline her pioneering role in photographic art.
Originally from Biarritz, Laguarde moved to Aix-en-Provence with her widowed mother after a short stay in Paris. Coming from a wealthy background, she quickly mastered the arts, particularly music, before turning to photography. At a time when photography was becoming accessible to anyone who could "press a button", she quickly moved beyond the amateur stage to explore the infinite possibilities of the medium.
Céline Laguarde, Stella, 1904
A technician of pictorialism
Admitted to the Photo-Club de Paris, Laguarde found the perfect place to perfect her art. There, she was introduced to the pigment processes emblematic of French artistic photography: gum bichromate, oil process, oil transfer... These techniques give her works a texture somewhere between painting and charcoal drawing.
Her portraits, often inspired by literature or the iconography of the Old Masters, reveal a gentle melancholy. Her female models, haloed in light, seem suspended in time. In some works, such as Nitza (Étude en plein air), the pigments melt and drip subtly, creating a falling-ash effect that enriches the composition.
The exhibition also reveals his constant experimentation. Each portrait or landscape comes in multiple versions, exploring variations in framing and printing. This rigorous approach reflects the legacy of Demachy, whose influence on Laguarde was decisive.
A work beyond pictorialism
Among the prints on display, a unique still life stands out. Little appreciated by Pictorialists, this rare genre in Laguarde's work captures decaying flowers, their heavy heads falling delicately from a crystal vase. An image imbued with gravity and beauty, where light underscores the ephemeral.
The Musée d'Orsay, a relative newcomer to the world of photography, is devoting a special place here to Laguarde. With more than 130 prints on display, the institution shows not only the scope of his work, but also the impact of his technical choices on the history of artistic photography.
Céline Laguarde, Portrait de Mlle de M, 1903
Rediscovering an unjustly overshadowed artist
Although Laguarde enjoyed considerable recognition during her lifetime, her work fell into oblivion after the Second World War. She devoted herself to other art forms, such as microphotography and textile dyeing, while supporting her husband's scientific research.
What would have become of her work had she pursued her artistic career? Would she have adopted modern innovations such as photograms or solarizations? Or would she have continued to perfect her pictorialist aesthetic? So many questions remain unanswered, but one thing is certain: her legacy, though belatedly recognized, richly deserves this celebration.
For further information: www.musee-orsay.fr
