Large photographers of postcards

The large photographers who developed the postcards

That you are or not an achieved cartophile, you perhaps already wondered who hid behind the photographs of the postcards of collection. Landscapes, portraits, scenes of the daily life, abstract art, whimsical or humorous chart, local culinary specialities, works of art… the illustrations and the sets of themes do not miss! Review of the large photographers of old or more recent postcards and having marked the history of the picture postcard collecting.

Photographers of the first illustrated postcards

Dominique Piazza: The inventor of the illustrated postcards

The very first illustrated postcard is the work of Dominique Piazza, a Marseilles tradesman. It is him who developed a technique aiming at reducing the format of the photographs in order to make hold the illustrations on the postcards. Dominique Piazza begins the diffusion of her charts in 1891. Around the years 1900, many photographers also have a photo studio where observers, decorations, accessories and other costumes mix with. According to the Museum of the postcard, these photographers called upon observers to create productions, some being supposed to be held in outside. Among the large photographers of the time, one can quote Kivatisky, Arjalew, Lenormand, Sazerac or Walery. The latter were to thus answer the growing request for postcards, in particular for Christmas, Easter, the New Year's Day or the Saint Nicolas's Day. Already, many subterfuges to create the illusion and to like these photographers the future purchasers used: salt and cotton to replace snow, bands out of paperboard to hide the decorations, etc

The Neurdein brothers, photographers and editors of postcards

Etienne and Louis-Antonin Neurdein are two brothers impassioned by photography, born respectively in 1832 and 1846. These artists are known to be preceded with the World Fairs of 1889 and 1900 like for certain stereotypes: Humbert 1st of Savoy or Gustave Eiffel posing at the top of the tower Eiffel.

Albert Bergeret, photographer and specialist in the collotype

Born in 1859, Albert Bergeret creates Printing works A. Bergeret & Co, a company which publishes 25 million postcards in 1900. Previously, the entrepreneur had worked as photographer: during five years, he traversed and immortalized Europe.

Small Pierre-Yves, founder of Yvon

It is Pierre-Yves Petit, called Yvon, who founded celebrates it mark of the same name. Born at the end of the years 1880, the future photographer starts to traverse France in 1916. He immortalizes of many landscapes (beach, countryside, mountain) and puts himself in search of perfect lighting for his photographs. One of its most sold stereotypes is “the secondhand bookseller”, taken in Paris. It founds the Editions of Art Yvon in 1919: today, the postcards Yvon always occupy the first place of the market of the cartery.

And nowadays? Which are the contemporary photographers of postcards

Serge Manour: photographer of the mark Yvon:

Serge Manour is the appointed photographer of the mark Yvon. Born in 1954 in Niort, it launches out in the photography of postcard at the end of the years 1980. According to Delarge, dictionary of the visual arts and contemporary, its high circulation figure (700 000 specimens) is an image which represents two coffee cups in a bar located at Saint-Germain-of-Meadows. In Usine Nouvelle, Serge Manour underlines the evolution of the photography of postcards:

    “Today, the life should be shown. The traditional photograph is not sold any more. People want to see the life, the coffee terraces, not a fixed image”.

Today, one counts approximately 200 editors of postcards, in particular made up of independent photographers.