Full Biography

Autoportrait place Jules Ferry © Robert Doisneau 1949

• 1912 
  Born in Gentilly (Val de Marne) April 14.
• 1925/1929 
  Studies at Estienne School where he obtains an engraver-lithographer diploma
• 1930 
  Font designer and photography internship at Ulmann studio for drug manufacturers.
• 1931 
  Camera assistant for André Vigneau.
• 1932 
  Sells his first report to the daily newspaper ’L’Excelsior.’
• 1934/1939 
  Industrial photographer for Renault’s factory in Billancourt.
• 1939 
  Loses his job for repeated lateness.
  Meets Charles Rado, founder of Rapho Agency.
  Becomes an independent photographer
• 1942 
  Meets Maximilien Vox for whom he creates numerous photo essays
• 1945 
  Starts his collaboration with Pierre Betz, publisher of Le Point journal.
  Meets Blaise Cendrars in Aix-en-Provence.
• 1946 
  Returns to the Rapho Agency, now headed by Raymond Grosset.
  Photo essays for the weekly magazine ‘Action.’
• 1947 
  Meets Jacques Prévert and Robert Giraud
  Wins the Kodak Prize
• 1949/1951 
  Contract with Vogue magazine
• 1956 
  Wins the Niepce Prize
• 1960 
  Travels to the USA and photo reports from New York City, Hollywood and Palm Springs
• 1966  
  Travels to Canada : report in Montreal, spends a few days in NYC
• 1967 
  Photo report in USSR ’50 years of soviet achievements’
• 1971 
  French tour of museums with Jacques Dubois
• 1973 
  ‘Le Paris de Robert Doisneau’ a film by François Porcile
• 1975 
  Invited to the ‘Rencontres d’Arles’ photo festival
• 1981 
  ‘Poète et piéton’ a film by François Porcile.
  Travels to New York City
• 1983 
  Wins the French ‘National Grand Prize of Photography’
• 1984 
  Participates in the photographic mission of the DATAR
• 1986 
  Wins the Balzac Prize
• 1990 
  Video Contacts (CNP/La Sept/Riff Production).
• 1992 
  ‘Bonjour Monsieur Doisneau’ a film by french actress Sabine Azéma
• 1993 
  ‘Doisneau des villes et Doisneau des champs’ a film by Patrick Cazals for french television
• 1994 
  Dies in Paris on the 1st of April