Old France Rurale


































Ok, so going through the archives I decided to hit the sepia button.

The newly opened pre-history society building in Les Eyzies is housing a free exhibition of Robert Doisneau's stunning photographs from his visit to the Dordogne back in the Summer of 1937. Two things struck me as I admired his stunning compositions. First, in many ways it seems nothing much has changed. The stallholders at Sarlat market could have been the same as last Saturday, but secondly, I couldn't help feeling a tinge of sadness as I viewed people messing around on boats afloat the gentle Dordogne river, yet just two years later and Europe was at war.

On a lighter note, that last photograph is of Cyrano de Bergerac, he with the unfeasibly large nose!

Comments

  1. Diane2 August 2010 at 15:28

    Wonderful photographs, I love them all but I think the first one is my favourite. Amazing how things have changed over a relatively short period. Diane

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  2. Carol2 August 2010 at 16:28

    Hi Rob,

    Love the sepia touch! Great photos ... love the doors on the building with the antique fare outside. War... if only. It is heart warming to think of a place remaining so much the same as days gone by. You live in a special part of the world! So glad you share it here. ;>)

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  3. Lisa Blair2 August 2010 at 17:12

    I love, love the kitchen photograph. Isn't the shelf contents in the kitchen interesting? The cointreau, dried white beans, jarred green beans. With the grandfather clock it is so simple and lovely.

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  4. Benjamin Vogt2 August 2010 at 20:07

    Stop making me want to spend my savign and visit France again. PLEASE. STOP IT.

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  5. compost in my shoe2 August 2010 at 20:58

    Amazing photos. Time to come to France again for sure. that is a big nose!

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  6. Noel Morata2 August 2010 at 21:04

    aloha,

    i like seeing things in sepia in your world, it adds a nice feel to your locality and the photos have this rich old feeling to a beautiful area

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  7. Southern Lady2 August 2010 at 22:53

    Great photos. I love old pictures! Carla

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  8. Frances3 August 2010 at 12:27

    Yummy, Rob! The sepia really sets the tone for a stroll into history. It all looks so bucolic. The thought of war there is indeed tragic.
    Frances

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  9. joey3 August 2010 at 23:36

    An amazing sequence of photos, Rob, perfect in sepia! Thanks for sharing ... Happy August :)

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  10. F Cameron4 August 2010 at 04:15

    Great photos! That little has changed is a good thing. Old World Charm.

    I love to use sepia for printing out my photos to frame. Can you believe that I've only framed my photos of Italy and not France? Hmmm...must change that when the winter doldrums get to me.

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  11. susan morrison4 August 2010 at 17:57

    As always, your photos are so evocative, Rob.

    Unfortunately, now I'm more depressed than ever that I'm traveling exactly nowhere this summer. Because nursery visits and camping trips do not count as a vacation.

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  12. VW5 August 2010 at 04:14

    The first few photos don't look so different from scenes you might have photographed in the old American West. Then there's the gorgeous old mansion over the water - that definitely looks like France and not the American West!

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  13. the gardener's cottage5 August 2010 at 14:59

    hi rob,

    the photo of the kitchen just kills me. i love it. what a great post.

    ~janet

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  14. Media-Organic8 August 2010 at 20:42

    A fascinating window into the past.

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  15. *Ulrike*1 November 2010 at 00:45

    War is very sad yet at least a lot of it survived to give us the beauty we see today.

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