Robert Doisneau - Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville (Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville) 1950
This is a photograph of a couple kissing in the busy streets of Paris, which was taken outside of the l'hôtel de ville which is the building housing the City of Paris's administration. The two cars in the background support the fact it was taken in 1950 as it’s an old classic car. The couple become the focus of this photograph and are positioned almost central in the photograph but slightly to the left hand side. The way the photograph has been taken with the man’s hat in the foreground suggests Doisneau was sitting in a street side open cafe. We can see other men and woman walking past the couple kissing; the lamppost has been positioned on the left hand side of the photograph near the rule of thirds and we can see a grand building in the background. In this photograph we see a nice contrast and range of tones, the couple and people seem to be quite dark and stand out against the light street and buildings in the background. The cars and lamppost seem to be dark and stand out too but we are attracted to look at the couple as they are the ones mainly in focus.
The way the photograph has been constructed and positioned, knowing Doisneau was in the cafe makes it easy for us to believe Doisneau had captured the moment outside the l'hôtel de ville in Paris. However it is revealed that the photograph was a set up. In an interview in 1992, Doisneau said: "I would have never dared to photograph people like that. Lovers kissing in the street, those couples are rarely legitimate."
From what I personally know there wasn’t a series of photographs of this couple however at the time Frenchman Doisneau was working on a photo spread about Paris lovers for Life magazine.
This photograph represents a couple’s passionate and romantic private kiss to be seen in one of the most public and exposed places to share this spontaneous and intimate moment. Doisneau is very successful with his composition of this photograph as he fulfills his intention of convincing people that this photograph is spare of the moment. The fact the photograph was captured in Paris may too convince people the photograph was true and spare of the moment as Paris is believed to be one of the most romantic cities in the world.
I believe that due to the composition of this photograph and the way it was taken giving the impression it was taken from a street cafe, and the composition of the man’s hat in the foreground allows us to feel we are too inside the cafe looking out onto the street of the couple kissing. The audience is able to feel more connected to the photograph thanks to Doisneau’s composition and therefore believe the photograph was taken spare of the moment rather than a set up.
Here are some photographs I have linked to the Photograph "Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville"
Top Left - My choosen Image
Top Right - The Cover of Life Magazine, The same year Doisneau took the photograph "Le baiser de l'hotel de ville" Doisneau was taking the photographs for Life Magazine. On the cover is actress Miroslava Stern
Bottom Left - Photograph taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt - VJ day in Times Square - August 14th 1945 - New York
Bottom Right - Galatea of the Spheres is a painting by Salvador Dalí made in 1952. It depicts Dali's muse, Gala, as pieced together through a series of spheres.
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