In honor of what would have been French photographer Robert Doisneau’s 100th birthday, Google is celebrating with a new Doodle. The search engine replaced its official logo on its homepage with a Doodle that reflects his photography style that includes wit, whimsy, innocence and romance.
The Doodle features four of Doisneau’s most iconic images, including ‘Kiss by the Hotel de Ville,’ which appeared in Life magazine in 1950. The picture features a couple of aspiring 20something actors. The photograph was staged, but the romance was real, as Doisneau famously said “I don’t photograph life as it is, but life as I would like it to be.”
The Doodle also featured one of Doisneau’s photos of children playing in 1943, titled ‘Tug on the Champ de Mars.’ The photo was shot near the Eiffel Tower. There is also the 1971 image ‘Three little white children, Parc Monceau.’ The three white-clad children pass the Parisian monument dedicated to writer Guy Maupassant. The last picture is the 1977 street view ‘Dog on Wheels.’
Doisneau was motivated to find black-and-white art within the visual commonplace. “I like people for their weaknesses and faults. I get on well with ordinary people,” he said. The photographer, who was named Cheavalier of the Order of the Legion d’honneur in 1984, had a career that spanned more than 50 years. His career even rivaled Henri Cartier-Bresson.
Written by: Karen Benardello
