Le Petit Balcon

1945–1979

Portraits of Picasso, Braque, Léger, Cocteau and Giacometti

From the post-war years through the 1970s Doisneau produced children's books, advertising photography and celebrity portraits — Alberto Giacometti, Jean Cocteau, Fernand Léger, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso. He worked with writers and poets such as Blaise Cendrars and Jacques Prévert, and credited Prévert with giving him the confidence to photograph everyday street scenes.

1952

Starts a career as an independent photographer

In 1952, three years after signing with Vogue, Doisneau began his career as an independent photographer.

26. maj 1953 – 23. august 1953

Exhibition: Postwar European Photography

1956

Niépce Prize

In 1956 Doisneau received the Niépce Prize, named after Nicéphore Niépce.

1956

His Paris books come out in New York and London

Simon & Schuster in New York published “Robert Doisneau's Paris: 148 Photographs” with a text by Blaise Cendrars, and Thames & Hudson in London published “Paris Parade: 148 Photographs”.

1965

“Three French Photographers” in Arles

The Musée Réattu in Arles held an exhibition of work by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau and André Vigneau — the photographer Doisneau had once assisted.