Robert Doisneau (French, 1912 – 1994), Mademoiselle Anita, La Boule Rouge, Paris, 1951
Robert Doisneau (French, 1912 – 1994), Saint Tropez, c. 1950s
Henri Cartier-Bresson (French, 1908 – 2004), Woman with American Flag, Independence Day, Cape Cod, MA, 1947
Henri Cartier-Bresson (French, 1908 – 2004), Funeral Pyre of Gandhi on the Banks of Sumna River, Delhi, India, 1948
Henri Cartier-Bresson (French, 1908 – 2004), In the Last Days of the Kuomintang, Peking, 1949
Henri Cartier-Bresson (French, 1908 – 2004), Coronation of King George VI of England, 1937
Sabine Weiss (French, 1924 – 2021), Young and Old Faces, Portugal, 1954
Willy Ronis (French, 1910 – 2009), Vincent, Aeromodelist, Gordes, 1952
Willy Ronis (French, 1910 – 2009), Baptism in Etretat. 1949
Robert Doisneau (French, 1912 – 1994), Music - Loving Butchers, Paris, 1953
Robert Doisneau (French, 1912 – 1994), Bride on See-Saw at Suburban Wedding, c. 1953
Édouard Boubat (French, 1923 – 1999), Family on beach, Minho, Portugal, c. 1950s
Édouard Boubat (French, 1923 – 1999), Laughing Man, c. 1950s
Sabine Weiss (French, 1924 – 2021), Le restaurant Coquet, Montmartre, 1953
Sabine Weiss (French, 1924 – 2021), Lamps, c. 1950s
Édouard Boubat (French, 1923 – 1999), Lovers on Ferry Boat, c. 1950s
Keith de Lellis Gallery is proud to present “The Poetry of Everyday Life – Master Photographers of the French Humanist Movement,” a landmark exhibition celebrating the timeless work of mid-20th century photographers who captured the heart and soul of post-war France. The exhibition will run starting mid-November at 41 East 57th Street, Suite 703.
Featuring both iconic and little known works by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Willy Ronis, Édouard Boubat, Sabine Weiss, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity to explore the deeply human, poetic, and spontaneous moments that defined an era. Through black-and-white imagery rooted in empathy, beauty, and everyday life, these master photographers helped shape the visual identity of 20th-century France.
Curated to highlight both well-known and lesser-seen works, “The Poetry of Everyday Life” delves into the streets, cafés, and countryside of France and elsewhere between the 1930s and 1960s — a period marked by reconstruction, resilience, and quiet joy. The exhibition pays tribute to the movement’s democratic vision: that photography could be both art and a powerful social document.
“The humanist photographers found magic in the mundane. Their work is not just historical; it's deeply relevant today as we rediscover the beauty of shared humanity,” said Keith de Lellis, curator of the exhibition.