Willy Ronis
France • 1910 - 2009
Paris in Colour 

French philosopher Roland Barthes once argued that adding colour to photography was like adding an overlay to cover the “true reality” of black and white. He describes this process as if it somehow weakened or ruined the image. Barthes may have had his doubts, Willy Ronis’s work proves otherwise.  

Ronis is a key figure in French humanist photography and is celebrated for capturing the everyday moments of daily life. Best known for his black-and-white images, produced over 75 years of continuous work, he began experimenting with colour in 1955, when the distinctive Kodachrome film became available.

For much of the 20th century, colour photography was dismissed as vulgar, commercial, and unworthy of artistic recognition. However, for Ronis, colour was neither a shortcut nor an embellishment; it was an approach that gave him a different way of seeing and documenting the world. This exhibition presents his Views of Paris series and highlights a lesser-known chapter in his career. Some of these photographs were first published in 1958 then largely forgotten.

On the streets of Paris, Ronis set out to capture everyday life in all its glory, from joyful to melancholic, from light-hearted to serious. His keen eye sought out the unassuming beauty of the people who lived there and the minute details that give the city its character. These photographs are compelling in their own right and are every bit as engaging as Ronis’ betterknown black-and-white work.

Ronis himself admitted that working in both black and white and in colour at the same time was challenging. “I found it hard to do both,” he said. “When I was in a hurry, I worried about mixing up the cameras that were both hanging from my shoulders.” He also remarked: “When I compare these colour photos with my black-and-white work, I don’t see any real difference. Colour doesn’t change the way I approach my subjects. From the outset, it’s always been my fascination with people and their most ordinary behaviours that has grabbed my attention.”

Although Ronis would occasionally work on subjects that were far removed from his usual interests, he would always return to what intrigued him the most: the everyday lives of people. His fascination with this subject matter was such that any detours were brief and never pulled him away for too long. As he put it, “I always came back, like you return to a fountain to quench your thirst.” 

Created with support from the French National Heritage and Photography Library (MPP). Special thanks go to Ronan Guinée, Matthieu Rivallin, Gilles Désiré dit Gosset, and all the MPP staff. 

Labyrinthe.