Marc Riboud : Musée de la Vie Romantique

Marc Riboud is a photojournalist and an extraordinary globetrotter. His natural aptitude has led him to the focal points of all the revolutions of the 20^th century, and even today he continues to capture the key moments of our generation on film.

His snapshots are currently on display in the Museum of Romantic Life.

Born in Lyon in 1923, his rebellious nature started to shape his personality when he was twenty, and started fighting alongside the French resistance during the Second World War. Despite being a brilliant student (he studied engineering at the École Centrale) he decided to dedicate his life to photography.

It was a calculated decision, but a risky one as at that time photography as an art was not widely accepted in France. He started out by working for Magnum thanks to a fruitful meeting with Henri Cartier-Bresson.

India, China, Russia (USSR), Cambodia, Afghanistan, Japan, Turkey, Algeria, USA. Fidel Castro, May ’68, Mao, Ghandi, Picasso, etc… Each journey was an adventure off the beaten track, far from the comfort of hotels, with the aim of capturing these once-in-a-lifetime moments.

Today he is honoured in the Museum of Romantic Life, where more than 110 photographs are on display, a collection that retraces just a tiny part of the travels of this witness to our history.

I went to a private viewing of the exhibition and I highly recommend that you investigate this group of works from a photographer who is close to my heart.

Furthermore, for those who have never been to the Museum of Romantic Life, I advise you to stop by one afternoon when you are in good company. This place is a little nugget of history, where you can enjoy a coffee and some macaroons on the patio of this romantic townhouse.

Museum of Romantic Life

Google Maps Link

Hôtel Scheffer-Renan 16 rue Chaptal – 75009 Paris

Tel: 01 55 31 95 67

Fax: 01 48 74 28 42

From 3 mars to 26 July 2009

Open every day, from 10 till 6, except Mondays and bank holidays.