Photothèque (Luxembourg)
Encyclopedia
The Photothèque in Luxembourg City
in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
houses several large collections of photographs of the city taken between 1855 and today. Open to the public, it is modelled on the photothèque at the Centre Georges Pompidou
in Paris and has adopted the same classification system.
and the photothèque at the Centre Georges Pompidou
in Paris
. After operating for a period as part of the city's binding department at 63, rue du Fort Neipperg, in 1992 the increasingly popular Photothèque moved into specially built premises at the Cloche d'Or in the south of Luxembourg City.
The holdings acquired in 1985 are still considered the most important. They consist of Bernard Wolff's collection with historic views taken by various photographers during the final period of Luxembourg's fortifications, Batty Fischer
's collection of photographs documenting the city's development in the 19th and 20th centuries, and a series of originals taken by Luxembourg-born photographer Edward Steichen
.
Among the most important collections are those of Batty Fischer
(some 10,000 documents showing the look of the city between 1890 and 1958); Théo Mey
(some 400,000 photographs of the Grand Duchy in the 1950s and 1960s); the archives of Edouard Kutter
and his son of the same name
(comprising some 200,000 photographs of the Grand Ducal family
and of news items from 1950 to 1980); Tony Krier
(400,000 images of Luxembourg City, the Grand Duchy and events from 1939 to 1967); as well as a collection of some 500,000 negatives from Camille and Pol Aschman covering news items from 1935 to 1988.
In 1992, Remo Raffaelli — who had worked together with Jacques Bohler, a photographer with Républicain Lorrain and Tageblatt — donated 40,000 negatives related to newspaper articles on sport and culture between 1976 and 1988. In 1994, Pierre Bertogne enriched the holdings with a further 16,000 images taken during the 1930s and 1940s which include photographs of Luxembourg's occupation
during the Second World War
and its subsequent liberation.
Martine Theisen, who has been at the Photothèque since 1989 and has held the post of director since 1998, explains that most people come to see the older pictures which remind them of the city as it was when they were children. Efforts are still being made to build up the collection in order to ensure wider coverage of the city and its history. Among the ten people working at the Photothèque, there is also a photographer who is regularly assigned to keep abreast of changes in the city's development. In relation to digitization, Ms Theisen explains that it has not yet been possible to find a firm capable of handling such a large assignment under suitable conditions. Efforts will however continue in this direction in the future.
10 per copy for standard size. Owing to copyright regulations, digital copies are not available.
Luxembourg (city)
The city of Luxembourg , also known as Luxembourg City , is a commune with city status, and the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers in southern Luxembourg...
in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
houses several large collections of photographs of the city taken between 1855 and today. Open to the public, it is modelled on the photothèque at the Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou is a complex in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near Les Halles, rue Montorgueil and the Marais...
in Paris and has adopted the same classification system.
History
The Photothèque was opened in 1984 in order to display photographic collections previously stored in the municipal archives. Its objective was to provide a permanent showcase for photographs documenting the look of the city over the various periods of its urban development. Its design, equipment and method of operation were based on experience in France, specifically from Documentation françaiseDocumentation française
The direction de la Documentation française, known commercially as La Documentation française, is a French public administration charged with publishing general documentation on major newsworthy problems for French administrations and the French public...
and the photothèque at the Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou is a complex in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near Les Halles, rue Montorgueil and the Marais...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. After operating for a period as part of the city's binding department at 63, rue du Fort Neipperg, in 1992 the increasingly popular Photothèque moved into specially built premises at the Cloche d'Or in the south of Luxembourg City.
The holdings acquired in 1985 are still considered the most important. They consist of Bernard Wolff's collection with historic views taken by various photographers during the final period of Luxembourg's fortifications, Batty Fischer
Batty Fischer
Jean-Baptiste Fischer was a Luxembourg dentist and amateur photographer. He is best remembered for his collection of some 10,000 photographs that richly document the development of Luxembourg City from the end of the 19th century until the 1950s.-Early life and family:Batty Fischer was born on 24...
's collection of photographs documenting the city's development in the 19th and 20th centuries, and a series of originals taken by Luxembourg-born photographer Edward Steichen
Edward Steichen
Edward J. Steichen was an American photographer, painter, and art gallery and museum curator. He was the most frequently featured photographer in Alfred Stieglitz' groundbreaking magazine Camera Work during its run from 1903 to 1917. Steichen also contributed the logo design and a custom typeface...
.
Location
Situated at 10, rue Eugène Ruppert, in the Cloche d'Or district of Luxembourg City, the Photothèque is open to the public on weekdays.Collections
The holdings comprise some four million photographs taken between 1855 and the present day. They have been built up over the years through donations and bequests as well as by works specifically funded by the city. Most of the archives are on the ground floor while the first floor is occupied by the city's binding service as well as by the remaining archives.Among the most important collections are those of Batty Fischer
Batty Fischer
Jean-Baptiste Fischer was a Luxembourg dentist and amateur photographer. He is best remembered for his collection of some 10,000 photographs that richly document the development of Luxembourg City from the end of the 19th century until the 1950s.-Early life and family:Batty Fischer was born on 24...
(some 10,000 documents showing the look of the city between 1890 and 1958); Théo Mey
Théo Mey
Théo Mey was a Luxembourg photographer who worked as a photojournalist for various national and foreign newspapers and magazines. He also participated in motorsports, handball and athletics. His collection of some 400,000 images is archived in Luxembourg City's Photothèque...
(some 400,000 photographs of the Grand Duchy in the 1950s and 1960s); the archives of Edouard Kutter
Edouard Kutter (1887)
Edouard Frédéric Henri Kutter was a Luxembourg photographer, the son of Swiss-born Paul Kutter, who had established a studio in Luxembourg City in 1883.-Early life and family:...
and his son of the same name
Edouard Kutter (1934)
Edouard Kutter is a Luxembourg photographer and publisher. The son of the photographer Edouard Kutter , he was appointed court photographer in 1966. In 1963, he took over his father's photographic business...
(comprising some 200,000 photographs of the Grand Ducal family
Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg
The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg consists of the extended family of the sovereign Grand Duke....
and of news items from 1950 to 1980); Tony Krier
Tony Krier
Tony Krier was a Luxembourg photographer who worked as a photojournalist for the Luxemburger Wort, a daily newspaper. He was also court photographer for the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg...
(400,000 images of Luxembourg City, the Grand Duchy and events from 1939 to 1967); as well as a collection of some 500,000 negatives from Camille and Pol Aschman covering news items from 1935 to 1988.
In 1992, Remo Raffaelli — who had worked together with Jacques Bohler, a photographer with Républicain Lorrain and Tageblatt — donated 40,000 negatives related to newspaper articles on sport and culture between 1976 and 1988. In 1994, Pierre Bertogne enriched the holdings with a further 16,000 images taken during the 1930s and 1940s which include photographs of Luxembourg's occupation
German occupation of Luxembourg in World War II
The German occupation of Luxembourg in World War II was the period in the history of Luxembourg after it was used as a transit territory to attack France by outflanking the Maginot Line. Plans for the attack had been prepared by 9 October 1939, but execution was postponed several times...
during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and its subsequent liberation.
Martine Theisen, who has been at the Photothèque since 1989 and has held the post of director since 1998, explains that most people come to see the older pictures which remind them of the city as it was when they were children. Efforts are still being made to build up the collection in order to ensure wider coverage of the city and its history. Among the ten people working at the Photothèque, there is also a photographer who is regularly assigned to keep abreast of changes in the city's development. In relation to digitization, Ms Theisen explains that it has not yet been possible to find a firm capable of handling such a large assignment under suitable conditions. Efforts will however continue in this direction in the future.
Classification
Each photograph is initially registered with a numerical code showing the year of acquisition, the number of the album where it is held and its sequential number in the acquisition records. In addition, catalogue cards give a detailed description of the work, its origin and author, the date when the photograph was taken, as well as information about the negative and applicable copyright. These details are kept together with the corresponding photograph in metal-backed albums, each containing between 25 and 30 documents. The negatives are stored separately in chronological order with codes identifying the album in question. Works of special historical value are removed from the collection for safekeeping and replaced with copies. The alphabetic index is based on pertinent items from the description of the photograph.Publications and copying service
Since 2000, four books in the series "Les trésors de la photothèque" have been published. Each volume presents the work of one of the Photothèque's best represented photographers. Those published to date cover Pol Aschman (photojournalism from 1935 to 1988), Marcel Schroeder (local history up to 1999), Théo Mey (photojournalism from 1950 to 1980), Tony Krier (reportages from 1939 to 1972). All are available at the Photothèque. Visitors are also able to purchase paper copies of the archived photographs, usually for less than €Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
10 per copy for standard size. Owing to copyright regulations, digital copies are not available.