La Seyne-sur-Mer hosts 200-year photography portrait exhibition

The Villa Tamaris in La Seyne-sur-Mer is hosting an exhibition titled ‘200 ans de portraits!’ to commemorate the bicentenary of the invention of photography. Utilizing collections from the Médiathèque du patrimoine et de la photographie, the exhibition features over 300 images that trace the evolution of portraiture over two centuries.

The exhibition creates a dialogue between different eras and techniques, ranging from 19th-century pioneers like Nadar, Pierre Petit, and Adolphe Dallemagne to 20th-century figures such as André Kertész, Sam Lévin, and Studio Harcourt. It also includes contemporary perspectives from photographers like Patrick Zachmann and Carole Bellaïche.

Subjects of the portraits span a wide spectrum, including famous historical figures such as Victor Hugo, Baudelaire, and Rodin, alongside anonymous individuals. The collection illustrates how portraiture has transitioned from formal social and official representations toward more intimate, spontaneous, and experimental styles.