Gustave Le Gray: Photography as Art at BNF Exhibition
The Bibliothèque nationale de France presents a major exhibition on Gustave Le Gray (1820-1884), a pioneer who established photography as an art form equal to painting. Le Gray, initially a painter, used glass negatives and later paper negatives to create masterpieces. His life, traced by curator Sylvie Aubenas in the accompanying catalogue, included celebrity, luxury, financial troubles, a Mediterranean voyage with Alexandre Dumas, and a final impoverished death in Cairo, forgotten in France. Le Gray's rediscovery came in 1999 when his print "La Grande Vague" (1857) sold for a record sum at auction. The exhibition and catalogue, produced with contributions from conservators, academics, and art historians, showcase his work, including tree and seascape photographs that prefigure contemporary photography. The catalogue features exceptional print quality.
Key facts
- Gustave Le Gray lived from 1820 to 1884.
- He was a pioneer who established photography as an art form.
- Le Gray began his career as a painter.
- He used glass negatives and later paper negatives.
- Sylvie Aubenas curated the exhibition and wrote the catalogue.
- Le Gray traveled with Alexandre Dumas in the Mediterranean.
- He died poor and forgotten in Cairo.
- His print 'La Grande Vague' (1857) sold for a record sum in 1999.
Entities
Artists
- Gustave Le Gray
- Alexandre Dumas
Institutions
- Bibliothèque nationale de France
Locations
- Alexandrie
- Cairo
- France
- Méditerranée
Sources
- artpress —