Compulsive Fascination

The unrecognised genius of the world of photography Jacques-Henri Lartigue (1894–1986) was in the shadow of his popular colleagues. He formed an artistic style that combined the aesthetics of an intimate, unexpectedly captured moment, especially characteristic of female portraits. His muses were the most beautiful women, including the photographer’s three wives and his Romanian lover Renée Perle, with whom he worked fruitfully for two years from 1929 – 1931 in Biarritz.

In 1929 Jewish, Romanian Parisian fashion model and artist Renée Perle ( DB unknown – 1977 South of France) became first muse of French photographer Jacques-Henri Lartigue. Her spectacular beauty inspired some of his best photographs. Large number of Renée’s quaint self-portraits are seen in some Lartigue photos. They do not show much mastery or technique, but only Renée strange compulsive fascination with her own face. She died in the South of France in 1977.