Studio Harcourt and Photo Days have announced a major exhibition showcasing the comprehensive work of renowned photographer Antoine Schneck, titled "Présences." The collaboration represents a unique meeting point between two distinctive approaches to portrait photography, combining Harcourt's historic, stylized elegance with Schneck's rigorous and contemplative methodology that transforms portraiture into an exercise of personal revelation.
For more than two decades, Antoine Schneck has maintained an almost unchanging photographic protocol that sets his work apart in the contemporary portrait landscape. His subjects are invited to pose within a translucent tent that serves as a neutral, mobile studio, completely isolated from all external stimuli and distractions. Only the subject's face emerges from this controlled environment, dramatically cut out against a stark black background, while Schneck operates from outside the tent, remaining unseen by his subjects throughout the entire process.
This distinctive approach goes far beyond mere technical mastery, establishing what Schneck describes as a ritual that creates a trusting and intimate relationship between photographer and subject. This carefully crafted process fosters the emergence of what he calls "otherness," allowing both famous personalities and anonymous individuals to pose away from prying eyes and external pressures. The result of this exacting practice creates a subtle interplay between absence and light that defines Schneck's signature aesthetic.
Following each photo session, Schneck embarks on an intensive digital recomposition process that closely resembles traditional painting techniques. His post-production work involves removing flash reflections, meticulously retouching irises with inspiration drawn from classical painting traditions, precisely masking facial features, and carefully adjusting textures throughout each image. This pictorial approach, executed on a graphics tablet, represents a constant oscillation between the photographer's presence and deliberate effacement in the final work.
For the Photo Days exhibition, Antoine Schneck has curated a carefully structured route that spans different series from his extensive portfolio. The exhibition journey moves from his signature frontal portraits to the recumbent effigies found in the Basilica of Saint-Denis, and extends to his striking photographs of millennia-old olive trees. This diverse collection demonstrates the range of Schneck's artistic vision while maintaining his consistent aesthetic approach.
The precision of Schneck's technical gestures, combined with the abstraction of his backgrounds, creates a dynamic dialogue where the presence of his models contrasts with the photographer's deliberate withdrawal. This exhibition provides a venue where the history and modernity of portrait photography engage in meaningful conversation, crafted with the same meticulous precision, obsessive attention to detail, and sensitive artistic memory that naturally resonates with Studio Harcourt's established aesthetic.
Studio Harcourt, nestled in the heart of Paris's prestigious 16th arrondissement, has maintained its position as an emblematic photography institution since its founding in 1934. The studio has gained international renown for its distinctive chiaroscuro portraits, having immortalized leading artistic, political, and cultural figures throughout the twentieth century. Today, the studio continues this distinguished legacy while embracing contemporary artistic voices like Schneck.
The "Antoine Schneck – Présences" exhibition will run from November 3 through January 30, 2026, at Studio Harcourt's location at 6 rue de Lota in Paris's 16th arrondissement. The exhibition offers free entry to visitors and will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional information about the exhibition and Photo Days programming is available at photodays.paris.
