Willy Ronis

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Sundays by the River

Willy Ronis

Synopsis:
The Seine and its tributaries are never without visitors. Children pick flowers on the riverbanks, fishermen cast their lines from Parisian quais, suburban families picnic in the sun as they lazily watch the current. Strolling near the water has long been a Sunday afternoon tradition in France -- in the period following World War II, people of all ages gathered in their best clothes to socialize near the river. Although dress is more relaxed today, the ritual persists: residents and tourists alike are irresistibly drawn to the water's edge. Spanning nearly a half-century, this collection of forty-eight duotone images by the noted documentary photographer Willy Ronis captures Parisians in moments of unalloyed leisure: a guitarist at a riverside cafe tries to distract a foursome engaged in animated conversation, a toddler rides a tricycle on the deck of a barge, a couple hold hands as they lie next to a slice of calm water. Reminiscent of impressionist scenes, the photographs capture not only the tranquillity of spring and summer Sundays but also the calm communal spirit created by the water's flow. Observing in his foreword that only a trick of light or the talent of the photographer can give a semblance of movement to photographed water, Noel Simsolo contrasts the ever-changing flow of human memory with Ronis's timeless, sun-drenched images.

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Other editions: 2006, 2006, 2004, 2001, 2000, 1996, 1996, Softcover - 1993, 1992, 1991