A woman sits on a café terrace with closed eyes, a young woman and man standing to her right, their gazes empty and distant. Three spherical hanging lamps and their reflections illuminate the nocturnal scene, printed in velvety shades of black. This is the opening photo of A Love Story in Saint Germain des Prés, the photoromance that propelled Ed van der Elsken to international fame in 1956. Ann and Manuel, the standing characters, are the main protagonists in this tale of doomed love. The backdrop is the life of a group of young people on the fringes of post-war Paris. They hang out, drink and smoke hash in cafés, dance frenziedly to jazz music, and live on the streets or in cheap hotels. The photographer was personally involved with his subjects. In fact, Manuel Van der Elsken was his alter ego, and the book is a tribute to artist and muse Vali Myers. She dominates this image, captured from a low angle – and many others in A Love Story.
Ed van der ELSKEN …Parijs!… is now available at www.ftn-books.com
