The Jan Michalski Foundation is presenting a captivating exhibition featuring the work of renowned photographer Yves Debraine, titled "Portraits d'écrivain.es" (Portraits of Writers). The exhibition showcases Debraine's remarkable collection of intimate photographs capturing some of the 20th century's most celebrated literary figures in both candid and posed moments.
Yves Debraine, who lived from 1925 to 2011, built an extraordinary career as a photographer, journalist, and correspondent for numerous European and American newspapers and magazines. Born in Paris and later settling in Lausanne, Switzerland, Debraine encountered countless personalities from the worlds of sports, science, culture, and art throughout his distinguished career. Among his vast photographic archive, writers held a particularly special place, captured through his lens in stunning black and white imagery.
The exhibition features Debraine's masterful portraits of literary giants including Ella Maillart, Jean Giono, Vladimir Nabokov, Georges Simenon, Patricia Highsmith, Jean Cocteau, Jacques Chessex, and Marcel Pagnol. These photographs reveal writers in their most authentic moments – some posed deliberately, others caught spontaneously, all set either in their favorite landscapes or within their personal writing spaces. The images capture these poets, novelists, and philosophers at the very heart of their creative environments.
Debraine's photographic legacy has been preserved in the book "From Cocteau to Simenon: Portraits of Writers," which was edited by his son Luc Debraine and published by Éditions Noir sur Blanc. This publication serves as a comprehensive tribute to the photographer's unique ability to capture the essence of literary personalities. The current exhibition at the Jan Michalski Foundation complements this book, displaying a carefully selected collection of Debraine's images on the library's upper floors.
The photographer's professional journey began with training at Agence France-Presse before he moved to Switzerland in 1948, where he established himself as a prominent figure in international journalism and photography. Debraine founded and directed the monthly magazine "Aînés," which is now known as "Générations." His specialization in black and white portraiture led to remarkable long-term collaborations, including serving as Charlie Chaplin's official photographer for over twenty years, as well as capturing the work and lives of Georges Simenon and the renowned Piccard family of scientists and adventurers.
The "Portraits d'écrivain.es" exhibition will remain on display at the Jan Michalski Foundation Library until January 18, 2026. Visitors can experience these intimate glimpses into the lives of literary masters at the foundation's location in Montricher, Switzerland. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see how Debraine's masterful eye documented the human side of literary genius, preserving these moments for future generations to appreciate and study.
