Émile Savitry (1903–1967) was a French photographer and painter.

Early life

Born in

Saigon Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...

, in 1903, into the wealthy colonial industrialist family of Felix Marius Alphonse Dupont and Cecile Leonie Audra, Émile renamed himself Savitry to go at age 17 to study painting (1920–1924) at

École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs The École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (; ÉnsAD) also known as Arts Decos' and École des Arts décoratifs, is a public grande école of art and design, constituent member of PSL Research University. The school is located in the R ...

and at the private Grande Chaumiere Academy of Fine Arts (still located in Paris at 14, Rue de la Grande Chaumiere), until 1924.

Surrealism

Associated with poet

Robert Desnos Robert Desnos (; 4 July 1900 – 8 June 1945) was a French poet who played a key role in the Surrealist movement. Early life Robert Desnos was born in Paris on 4 July 1900, the son of a licensed dealer in game and poultry at the '' Halles'' ma ...

and painter

André Derain André Derain (, ; 10 June 1880 – 8 September 1954) was a French artist, painter, sculptor and co-founder of Fauvism with Henri Matisse. In 2025, all of Derain’s work entered the public domain in the United States. Life and career Early ...

and the

Surrealists Surrealism is an art and cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists aimed to allow the unconscious mind to express itself, often resulting in the depiction of illogical or dreamlike scenes and id ...

, Savitry exhibited in 1929 at dealer Zborowski's gallery a sellout show, the catalogue essay of which was penned by celebrated Surrealist poet

Louis Aragon Louis Aragon (; 3 October 1897 – 24 December 1982) was a French poet who was one of the leading voices of the Surrealism, surrealist movement in France. He co-founded with André Breton and Philippe Soupault the surrealist review ''Littératur ...

(1897-1982). However, though on the threshold of artistic fame he decamped to Polynesia. Commentators propose different reasons for this decision; "He had more than one string to his art," wrote Claude Roy in 1972, "painting, photography, travel (and doing nothing). But what did not interest him was to be successful." (and as a wealthy man, despite the 1929 recession, Savitry did not need the proceeds of success);

Barbara Creed Barbara Creed (born 30 September 1943) is a professor of Film theory, cinema studies in the School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne. She is the author of six books on gender, feminist film theory, and the Horror film ...

notes that "The Surrealists saw travel as a means to achieve a state of ''dépaysement'' "; while another factor may have been the disagreements between the Surrealists over their association with Communism, which reached a climax with

André Breton André Robert Breton (; ; 19 February 1896 – 28 September 1966) was a French writer and poet, the co-founder, leader, and principal theorist of surrealism. His writings include the first ''Surrealist Manifesto'' (''Manifeste du surréalisme'') ...

's letter of provocation to the group, and meeting with them on 11 March 1929, on the issue of working collectively, to which idea Savitry was amongst the majority of the group in responding positively, innocently naming the reluctant, and soon to be expelled, Desnos as a desirable collaborator . Savitry was accompanied on his journey to the tropics by surrealist painter Georges Malkin and Yvette Ledoux, a young American woman whom he'd just met. On arrival she chose to go with Malkin. Savitry had taken a Gaumont Block-Notes 6x9 camera, so named for its shape and its ingenious sheet magazine (see: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Gaumont_Block-Notes), and happened upon a beached 'ghost ship'. Friedrich W. Murnau, in the middle of shooting his ill-fated movie Tabou, was impressed by Savitry's boat picture and engaged him on his team to research

Polynesia Polynesia ( , ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of more than 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are called Polynesians. They have many things in ...

iconography Iconography, as a branch of art history, studies the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images: the subjects depicted, the particular compositions and details used to do so, and other elements that are distinct fro ...

and to make

film stills A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, since ...

Photojournalism

On return to Paris in 1930 Savitry commenced a career as a photographer, co-founding with Charles Rado,

Brassaï Brassaï (; pseudonym of Gyula Halász, ; 9 September 1899 – 8 July 1984) was a Hungarian–French photographer, sculptor, medalist, writer, and filmmaker who rose to international fame in France in the 20th century. He was one of the numerou ...

and

Ergy Landau Ergy or Erzsy Landau (1896–1967) was a Hungarian-French humanist photographer. Born in Budapest, Landau worked in Franz Xaver Setzer's Vienna studio and then in Rudolf Dührkoop's studio in Berlin. She had photographed the German writer Thom ...

in 1933 the Rapho agency. For Rapho, he covered the massive refugee influx into the South of France from the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

. His reportage for ''

Match A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden matc ...

'' and other magazines also features his close friend

Django Reinhardt Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani people, Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Belgium, Belgian-born Romani jazz guitarist and composer in France. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe ...

, whom he met in

Toulon Toulon (, , ; , , ) is a city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the French Riviera and the historical Provence, it is the prefecture of the Var (department), Var department. The Commune of Toulon h ...

and whose installation with his family in Paris he sponsored, introducing Django into the jazz scene at La Boîte à Matelots at 10 rue Fontaine. From 1932 to 1934, he assisted

(1899–1984). In February 1939, his reportage on the rue Pigalle theatre precinct is published in ''Paris Match''. Mobilized in September 1939, he joined the battalion of Engineering in

Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...

. On 2 April 1940, at

Hyères Hyères (), Provençal dialect, Provençal Occitan language, Occitan: ''Ieras'' in classical norm, or ''Iero'' in Mistralian norm) is a Communes of France, commune in the Var (département), Var Departments of France, department in the Provence-Al ...

, he married the

Argentinean Argentines, Argentinians or Argentineans are people from Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their ...

painter and illustrator Elsa Henriquez (191
?
��2010), daughter of Peruvian dancer Helba Huara (1900–1989) and Peruvian journalist Gonzalo More, and through them Savitry met and photographed a number of Argentinian poets and writers. They had a son, Francis "Paco" Dupont. After the war, he helped to revive the Rapho agency in Paris, joined there by

Robert Doisneau Robert Doisneau (; 14 April 1912 – 1 April 1994) was a French photographer. From the 1930s, he photographed the streets of Paris. He was a champion of humanist photography and, with Henri Cartier-Bresson, a pioneer of photojournalism. D ...

and

Willy Ronis Willy Ronis (; 14 August 191012 September 2009) was a French photographer. His best-known work shows life in post-war Paris and Provence. Life and work Ronis was born in Paris to Jewish immigrants. His father, Emmanuel Ronis, was from Odessa, a ...

. He was later a regular contributor to fashion magazines '' Vogue'', '' Jardin des Modes'' and ''

Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' (stylized as ''Harper's BAZAAR'') is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. Bazaar has been published in New York City since November 2, 1867, originally as a weekly publication entitled ''Harper's Bazar''."Corporat ...

''. He was also published in the 1950s in ''

Regards ''Regards'' (also known as ''Regards Magazine'' or ''Revue Regards'', ''trans'': "Views") is a monthly French Communist news magazine published in Paris, France. History and profile Created in 1932 as a Communist title, ''Regards'' is primari ...

'', '' Visages du Monde'', ''Cavalcade'', '' Point de Vue'' and '' Images du Monde'', ''Caliban'', ''

Picture Post ''Picture Post'' was a photojournalistic magazine published in the United Kingdom from 1938 to 1957. It is considered a pioneering example of photojournalism and was an immediate success, selling 1,000,000 copies a week after only two months. ...

'' and '' Réalités''.

Portraits

He is best known for his portraits of mid-century personalities, many of whom were close friends: actors

Anouk Aimée Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus (; 27 April 1932 2024), known professionally as Anouk Aimée () or Anouk, was a French film actress who appeared in 70 films from 1947 until 2019. Having begun her film career at age 14, she studied acting and ...

Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a French former actress, singer, and model as well as an animal rights activist. Famous for portraying characters with Hedonism, hedonistic life ...

Pierre Brasseur Pierre Brasseur (; 22 December 1905 – 16 August 1972), born Pierre-Albert Espinasse, was a French actor. Biography The son of actors Georges Espinasse and Germaine Brasseur was an actor as well. The family tradition of using the name ''Br ...

Madeleine Renaud Lucie Madeleine Renaud (; 21 February 1900 – 23 September 1994) was a French actress best remembered for her work in the theatre. She did though appear in several films directed by Jean Grémillon including '' Remorques'' (''Stormy Waters'', 1 ...

Serge Reggiani Serge Reggiani (born Sergio Reggiani; 2 May 1922 – 23 July 2004) was an Italian-French actor and singer. He was born in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and moved to France with his parents at the age of eight. After studying acting at the Conservato ...

and

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

, film directors

Jacques Prévert Jacques Prévert (; 4 February 1900 – 11 April 1977) was a French poet and screenwriter. His poems became and remain popular in the French-speaking world, particularly in schools. His best-regarded films formed part of the Poetic realism, poetic ...

and

Marcel Carné Marcel Albert Carné (; 18 August 1906 – 31 October 1996) was a French film director. A key figure in the poetic realism movement, Carné's best known films include ''Port of Shadows'' (1938), ''Le Jour Se Lève'' (1939), ''Les Visiteurs du Soi ...

, sculptors

Alberto Giacometti Alberto Giacometti (, , ; 10 October 1901 – 11 January 1966) was a Swiss sculptor, painter, Drafter, draftsman and Printmaking, printmaker, who was one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. His work was particularly influenced ...

Victor Brauner Victor Brauner (, also spelled Viktor Brauner; 15 June 1903 – 12 March 1966) was a Romanian painter and sculptor of the surrealism (art), surrealist movement. Early life He was born in Piatra Neamț, Romania, the son of a Jewish timber manufac ...

and Oscar Dominiguez, Marcel Jean, Bertold Bartosch, Pierre Loeb, musicians

, Claude Luter,

Édith Piaf Édith Giovanna Gassion (19 December 1915 – 10 October 1963), known as Édith Piaf (), was a French singer and lyricist best known for performing songs in the cabaret and modern chanson genres. She is widely regarded as France's greatest popu ...

, writer

Colette Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (; 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954), known as Colette or Colette Willy, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a Mime artist, mime, actress, and journalist. Colette is best known in the English-speaki ...

, trans* sculptor Anton Prinner, and Surrealist painter Germain Vandersteen.

Film stills (1942–1950)

During the war Savitry corresponded with filmmaker

Paul Grimault Paul Grimault (; 23 March 1905 – 29 March 1994) was one of the most important French animators. He made many traditionally animated films that were delicate in style, satirical, and lyrical. His most important work is ''Le Roi et l'oiseau'' ...

(who was posted the Lower Rhine), and made stills from 1942 for Jacques Prévert and Marcel Carné. In 1947 he moves to

Belle Île Belle-Île (), Belle-Île-en-Mer (), or Belle Isle (, ; ) is a French island off the coast of Brittany in the ''département in France, département'' of Morbihan, and the largest of Brittany's islands. It is from the Quiberon peninsula. Admini ...

to be on the set of Carné's ''La Fleur de l'âge'', making a famous image of

holding a kitten. He also worked for the director Pierre Billon and Jean Grémillon.

Films

* 1931 ''Tabou'' dir. Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau * 1942 ''Lumière d'été'' dir. Jean Grémillon * 1946 '' Portes de la nuit'' dir. Marcel Carné * 1947 ''La Fleur de l'âge'' dir. Marcel Carné * 1949 '' Au revoir monsieur Grock'' dir. Pierre Billon

Late painting

Savitry returned to painting in the 1960s with an exhibition at the Renée Laporte gallery in Antibes. He contributed the only painting unsold from his 1929 Zborowski show ''La lumiére du gaz arrivant dans les ruines'' to the exhibition 'Le Surréalisme: Sources, Histoire, Affinités' at Charpentier Gallery, Paris, in 1964. He died in Paris on 30 October 1967.

Exhibitions

* 1929 Paris, Galerie Zborowski * 1948 ''French Photography'', exhibition organised by the Photo League, New York * 1963 Antibes, Galerie Laporte, 31 paintings * 1964 Paris, Galerie Charpentier, ''Le Surréalisme : Sources, Histoire, Affinités''.

Posthumous

* 1981 Paris, Centre Georges-Pompidou ''Paris 1937–Paris 1957'', re-showing of the exhibition held at Photo League of New York in 1948 * 1989 Paris, at premises of Le Monde ''Les Années Montparnasse''. * 1990 Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris, ''50 ans de photographies de presse, archives photographiques de Paris-Soir France-Soir et Paris-Match'' * 2004 New York, Zabriskie Gallery * 2007 Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France ''La photographie humaniste'' * 2008 Vendôme Museum * 2011 L'Abbaye Sainte-Croix aux Sables d'Olonne Museum, 106 photographs, 20 Dec 2011 – 26 Feb 2012 * 2011 5 May to 6 Nov ''Émile Savitry, un photographe de Montparnasse'', Valence, Musée de l'Illustration et de la Modernité de Valence ( MuVim ) * 2012 25 Oct to 27 Jan 2012 - 2013 ''Émile Savitry, un photographe de Montparnasse'', Gentilly, Maison de la Photographie Robert-Doisneau * April 2013 exhibition under the auspices of the Festival Photo de Mer de Vannes * 2016 8 June to 5 October, Paris, Musée Mendjisky - Écoles de Paris, ''Émile Savitry. A photographer from Montparnasse''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Savitry, Emile French photojournalists 1903 births 1967 deaths Movie stills photographers French surrealist artists Humanist photographers