The legendary Parisian Studio Harcourt, renowned for its timeless black-and-white portraits of celebrities, has maintained a fascinating relationship with sports photography spanning nearly nine decades. From boxing legend Marcel Cerdan in 1946 to the medalists of the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, the world's oldest active photography studio has consistently captured the essence of athletic greatness through its distinctive artistic vision.
Studio Harcourt represents a powerful identity and singular style that transcends time. Its elegance captivates viewers through its signature black-and-white aesthetic, established since the studio's founding in 1934. This timeless approach draws from cinema's golden age, utilizing the particular chiaroscuro effect created by continuous lighting projectors used in filmmaking of that era. "The idea was to use photography's still relatively new technology and take inspiration from the business model of 18th and 19th-century painters, whom families would commission for beautiful portraits of a child or young man before he left for war," explains Éloi Robert de Cournon, the studio's head of operations.
The studio was conceived by photographer Cosette Harcourt (pseudonym of Germaine Hirschfeld), supported by Robert Ricci (son of fashion designer Nina Ricci) and the visionary press magnate brothers Jacques and Jean Lacroix. Studio Harcourt achieved instant success from its inception. "They really wanted to create a living space to invite celebrities, and all of Paris high society flocked to the studio, which was then housed in a private mansion in the 8th arrondissement complete with a bar and billiard room," Robert continues. "People came to be seen, and very quickly, it became essential for actors, artists, and politicians to have their portrait signed by Studio Harcourt."
Ninety-one years later, this institution—now the world's oldest photography studio still in operation—has found its home since 2016 in another private mansion on Rue de Lota in the 16th arrondissement, following numerous relocations and upheavals. Upon entering through the glass doors, visitors are immediately struck by enormous photographs. With its restaurant and various studios, the original vision persists. However, it's after climbing the monumental staircase that one truly measures the prestige of the Harcourt brand. On the first floor, portraits multiply, displayed on walls or suspended from the ceiling, featuring the greatest stars of their respective eras.
Among the celebrity portraits, several athletes' faces catch the eye during a casual stroll through the gallery. The first that stands out is Marcel Cerdan, appearing somewhat anachronistic alongside the portrait of Édith Piaf, though his Studio Harcourt session dates to 1946, before his romance with "La Môme" began. That year, Cerdan had already transcended to another dimension following what journalists called the "match of the century"—his defense of his French middleweight championship title against Robert Charron. This fight drew approximately 37,000 spectators to the Parc des Princes despite torrential rain, with notable attendees including Marlene Dietrich and Jean Gabin.
"We've always had a connection with sports," observes Éloi Robert. "What's amusing is that Cerdan's portrait, while classic, differs from most because he's shirtless." Without gloves but in fighting position, this contrasts with other athletes displayed on the walls, such as Jonah Lomu, André-Pierre Gignac, or Novak Djokovic, who appear frozen in more formal poses. These athletes were photographed as part of special operations launched after Studio Harcourt struggled to survive from the late 1970s to early 1990s, a period when technological evolution allowed everyone access to cameras.
By 1986, Studio Harcourt's financial situation had deteriorated so severely that it only avoided bankruptcy by selling its historical photography collection to the Ministry of Culture. Under Jack Lang's aegis, between five and seven million negatives—witnesses to several decades—were purchased by the state and remain managed by the Réunion des musées nationaux. Since then, the institution has awakened, multiplying both artistic collaborations and large-scale operations, with sports gradually establishing its presence.
In 1999, all Formula 1 drivers were captured, including Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve. Ten years later, about sixty tennis players were photographed and published in a book titled "Hors Court" following an exhibition at Roland-Garros, featuring Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic. "Searching through the archives, I realized that 2015 was a very sports-focused year for Studio Harcourt," specifies Éloi Robert. "We photographed all the Olympique de Marseille players, including Gignac, for their calendar. Same with PSG players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marco Verratti, and Thiago Silva—signed photos that were auctioned for the club's foundation. We also photographed the entire French women's soccer team, resulting in an exhibition on the Paris City Hall forecourt before the World Cup in Canada."
Regularly sought after by luxury brands to showcase their clients and immortalize them, Studio Harcourt recently agreed to participate in two beautiful books initiated by the association "Le Sport a du coeur." The first volume, "100 Champions Championnes, anecdotes & confidences" (Solar editions), was published in 2023 and enabled the donation of fifty wheelchairs to clubs to help people with disabilities access sports. The second, titled "Médaillés," also published by Solar, will be released on November 20 with the same charitable mission and desire to double the initial donation.
This latest volume features about fifty medalists from the Paris Olympics and Paralympics who submitted to Studio Harcourt photographers' lenses. "The Greek etymology of photography means 'writing with light,' and that's our mantra. Historically, we focus mainly on the gaze," insists Éloi Robert. "A layperson might think all our portraits look the same and confuse decades, despite different fashion or hairstyle trends. A gaze is necessarily different from person to person, from moment to moment. But for these books, the objective was to vary the shots so they wouldn't be monotonous. We had to surprise readers on each page by highlighting each champion's unique personality."
Flipping through this new opus featuring Léon Marchand, Antoine Dupont, the Lebrun brothers, and Cassandre Beaugrand, one senses that these athletes challenged Studio Harcourt's photographers. "When there's movement, which is sport's very essence, it requires extensive advance planning and preparation to capture it in the light," notes the head of operations. "We maintained the very classic aspect, but each session challenged us. There was also artistic direction from the association that pushed us. They arrived with flags that had flown over the Games, wanting the blue, white, and red to emerge in each shot. Gradually, we contributed our expertise to make it appear differently, with light projections."
Since all Paralympic champions from Paris also appear in this book, disability created another challenge. "How to approach it is a real question," confirms the studio director. "But a session doesn't begin with the first click. The photographer meets their model for the day, creates a connection, analyzes the person's physique, and understands what they can highlight. At the studio, 99% of people arrive extremely stressed, unlike athletes who are accustomed to exposure. In the case of Paralympic athletes we photographed, we observed that they embrace their disability and have made it a strength."
One thing is certain: Studio Harcourt has successfully leveraged sports to reinvent this incredible balance between its classical dimension and the modernity essential to its evolution. Through nearly a century of operation, the studio has proven that timeless artistry and contemporary athletic achievement can create something truly extraordinary when captured through the lens of masterful photography.
