Jean-Marie Périer evening and exhibition

The famous and great photographer Jean-Marie Périer, whom we have the pleasure to welcome regularly in our café, had invited his friends to the Deux Magots for two beautiful reasons:

First of all, an exhibition of his photos to be found in our historical room and our verandas, from October 26 to November 14.

Also, the launch of his book “Chroniques d’un dilettante”, a collection of memories about his meetings and important works, published by Calmann-Lévy.

Discover the book

Jean-Marie Périer evening and exhibition

The exhibition at Les Deux Magots, whose photos are also featured in “Chroniques d’un dilettante”, bears witness to Jean-Marie Périer’s extraordinary career. The 25 prints reveal the photographer’s eye and ability to capture the moment, whether it’s a fleeting glance, a pose, a surprising attitude or a smile.

The subject of these shots, which blend color with black & white? His specialty, of course, was portraits of personalities, both great 20th-century artists and personal friends of the photographer. These include Jacques Dutronc and Françoise Hardy, Yves Saint-Laurent, Johnny Hallyday, Karl Lagerfeld, Edouard Baer, Fabrice Lucchini… as well as international legends such as The Beatles and Mick Jagger.

These photos are not presented on their own, but are accompanied by texts by Jean-Marie Périer. Through these lines, the author sheds light on the context in which each shot was taken, or delivers an anecdote about the artist who appears in the image, with his usual kindness and humor.

The opening of the exhibition and the launch of the book were the occasion for a wonderful evening at Les Deux Magots, co-organized with Elle magazine and Editions Calmann-Lévy.

Friends of Les Deux Magots as well as those of Jean-Marie Périer turned out in force, including a major surprise: a 45-minute concert given by Thomas Dutronc himself. Taking his place on a large stage set up especially for the occasion in front of the large mirror in our Maison, Thomas Dutronc regaled the audience with some of his hits, and made his contribution to the great history of jazz in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.