Les métiers d'art dans les photographies de François Kollar

As part of the bicentenary of photography (2026-2027), the bibliothèque Forney is presenting an exhibition of photographs by François Kollar, who between 1931 and 1934 immortalised France at work.

From 3 September to 5 December 2026, the bibliothèque Forney is organising an exhibition in the Jardin Monica Vitti (formerly the garden of the Hôtel de Sens), which is located next to the library.

This outdoor exhibition features around twenty enlarged photographs by François Kollar (1904-1979), commissioned in 1931 by the publishers Horizons de France and published in a book entitled La France travaille.

The result is a documentary work of great value and undoubtedly unique in France, as well as a series of portraits of men and women, presented with sensitivity and respect.

More than 1,800 original prints and nearly 2,000 negatives, whether published or not, were donated in 1975 by Pierre Lagrange, director of Horizons de France, to the bibliothèque Forney.

The exhibition focuses on the creative process within the arts and crafts, starting from a common point of departure—drawing—all the way to the final creation, whether manual or mechanical.

The most classic example in the graphic arts is provided by the engraver (working in wood or copper) and the lithographer, whose work allows for the dissemination of the original piece.

Three other worlds are presented under applied arts: ceramic decoration, textile creation using various techniques (weaving, printing, tapestry, embroidery), and finally, haute couture.