Figure 1.--Sabine Weiss was on of the importat French humanist photgraphers of the mid-20th century. Some of her most copelling images are of children. Here we see French boys enjoying what looks to be a home-made rollar coaster. It was probably taken in the early-1950s. Note the absence of cars.

Sabine Weiss (née Weber) was a Swiss-French photographer active in the French humanist photography movement, along with Robert Doisneau, Willy Ronis, Édouard Boubat, and Izis. She is perhaps best known for her work in street photography, especially in France during the post-World War II era, although her long life an international travel touched on many countries. Sabine was born in Saint-Gingolph, Switzerland (1924). Her father was a chemical engineer who specialized in making artificial pearls from fish scales. This was a border area so from an early age there were experiences and a draw toward France--facilitated by her childhood in the Francophone area of Switzerland. She became interested in photography as a child. She explained, " realized very young that photography would be my means of expression. I was more visual than intellectual ... I was not very good at studying. I left high school, I left on a summer day on a bicycle." She began taking photographs at 8 year of age, buying an inexpensive Bakelite camera with her pocket money (1932). Photography like most professions was still primarily a man's preserve, but by the 1930s the world of work was beginning to open up, even more so after the War. And she was supported by her father in her photographic interests. As the family was Swiss, Sabine was spared many of the privations across the border associated with World War II France. She had no academic training, but learned basic photographic technique working for Geneva studio photographer Frédéric Boissonnas in Geneva (1942-46). She moved to Paris after the War and was hired by German expat Wilhelm 'Willy' Maywald as an assistant (1946). He is notable for his portrait and fashion photography as well as street photography. Weiss was heavily influenced by him. She did not get involved with fashion photography, but street photography and ethnographic work became ger forte. Much of her work was in France and for some reason not much in her native Switzerland. She eventually became a French citizen (1995). Her focus from the beginning focused on people reflecting her humanist outlook. She traveled extensively, mostly in Europe, capturing poignant images in Portugal and other countries. Her work includes many images of children. Her street photography, of children playing in the wasteland of her neighborhood, Porte de Saint-Cloud and of Paris and its daily life, was conducted independently of her magazine work, basically for love without commercial intent (1940s-50s). It was essentially an expression of her f humanist photography philosophy. She had a love of music and photographed many prominent musicians. The images she captured were soon recognized and often carried by prominent American and European magazines in the post-War world. Eventually this led to museum exhibitions. She was involved in several special projects. One of the most interesting was a scholarship from the French Ministry of Culture to create a visual record of the Copts of Egypt (1983). Her body of work is enormous which she donated to the Musée de l'Élysée, Lausanne. It included 200,000 negatives, 7,000 contact sheets, around 2,700 vintage prints and 2,000 late prints, 3,500 prints, and 2,000 slides.

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Created: 10:34 AM 8/16/2025
Last updated: 10:34 AM 8/16/2025