Léon Gimpel

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Léon Gimpel
Self-portrait, 1920
Born13 May 1873
Strasbourg, France
Died7 October 1948
Sévignacq-Meyracq, France
Known forFirst photographer to have color images published
Notable workThe Grenata Street Army
SpouseMarguerite Bouillon

Léon Gimpel (13 May 1873 – 7 October 1948)[1] was a French photographer.

Born in Strasbourg in 1873. He was the youngest son of four, born to a Jewish Alsacian family who fled to Paris after Germany took over Alsace in 1870. Gimpel worked for his family's fabric company, managed by his older brother Eugene. In 1897 his interest in photography was kindled when he acquired a Kodak detective camera,[2] he soon swapped this for a Spido Gaumont which allowed him greater creative freedom.[2] By 1900 he was working prodigiously, documenting the 1900 World's Fair in Paris. By 1904 his work was being published regularly in the magazines La Vie au Grand Air, La Vie Illustrée and L'Illustration.[3]

A restless and innovative photographer, Gimpel experimented with perspective, produced self-portraits using distorting mirrors

Académie des Sciences. Limited by the long exposure time required, Gimpel used the process, to photograph still lifes and landscapes. Assisted by his colleague Fernand Monpillard, Gimpel modified the plates to produce "instant" colour pictures. Thanks to his works Gimpel was the only photographer who succeeded in capturing, in colour, scenes of everyday life during la Belle Époque.[2]

Aeronautical exhibition at the Grand Palais, Paris, in 1909, photographed by Gimpel

On 10 June 1907 Gimpel was the first photographer to have images published in color.

'boche'. On a more serious note Gimpel also recorded the French experience of the First World War visiting munitions factories and trenches on the Western Front.[6]

The 114th Infantry in Paris on July 14, 1917

Gimpel married Marguerite Bouillon in 1939 and settled in Béarn. He died in 1948 at Sévignacq-Meyracq.

Although largely forgotten, his work has experienced a revival recently. The band Beirut used one of his photographs as the inspiration behind their 2007 album The Flying Club Cup.[7] A major respective took place at Musée d'Orsay in Paris in February 2008.[8] His work helped influence the 2009 Spike Jonze film Where the Wild Things Are.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Leon Gimpel". luminous-lint.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Léon Gimpel (1873-1948), the audacious work of a photographer". Musee d'Orsay. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  3. ^ a b c "On the Centenary of Autochrome". yourshot.eu. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  4. ^ a b "Leon Gimpels awesome autochrome aeroplanes etc". Weloveyouso.com. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  5. ^ "Autochromes and Autochromists of WWI". luminous-lint.com. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  6. ^ "Léon Gimpel (1878–1948)". Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  7. ^ "Where". London: Telegraph.co.uk. 2 October 2007. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  8. ^ "LÉON GIMPEL (1873-1948), THE AUDACIOUS WORK OF A PHOTOGRAPHER". Artmagick.com. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2009.

External links

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