Montpellier's Pavillon Populaire Explores Photography's First Times in Bicentennial Exhibition

Curated by Luce Lebart, the exhibition "Premières fois/Premières photos" at the Pavillon Populaire in Montpellier delves into 200 years of photographic advancements. Since taking on the role of artistic director in January, Lebart raises the intriguing question: "What constitutes a first image?" Among the highlights are Wilson Alwyn Bentley's snowflake photographs from the late 19th century, Anna Atkins's cyanotypes from 1843 to 1853, and previously unseen photographic patents from the INPI, which documented 4,022 patents between 1839 and 1901. Key patents featured include Louis Ducos du Hauron's 1868 trichromy principles and Eadweard Muybridge's studies of horse galloping. The exhibition also showcases works from pioneers such as Nicéphore Niépce and Robert Demachy, revisiting agnès b.'s "Première photo" from 1992. This article appeared in Le Journal des Arts n°684 on October 2, 2026.