The Marseille History Museum has opened a remarkable photography exhibition featuring over 225 images that chronicle 164 years of the city's evolution through the lens of the Detaille family. "Marseille as Seen by the Detaille Family" showcases an extraordinary photographic archive that spans three generations of photographers, offering visitors a unique journey through time in France's second-largest city.
"When you're a photographer in such a beautiful city, you have to give something back to it," said Gérard Detaille, visibly moved during yesterday's preview presentation of the exhibition. Gérard represents the third generation of the Detaille photography dynasty, following his father Albert Detaille (1903-1996) and grandfather Fernand Detaille (1875-1956). The family's photographic legacy began when Fernand took over the famous Nadar studio on La Canebière in 1902.
The museum acquired this invaluable collection in 2021, which required an enormous logistical effort to preserve. "Twenty moving trucks arrived at our storage facilities," explained Emmanuel Laugier, one of the exhibition's co-curators. "We recovered everything: archives, cameras, digital files – the complete collection." The acquisition represents one of the most significant photographic archives related to Marseille's urban development and social history.
The exhibition features rare historical images, including a photograph of La Canebière from around 1861 by Adolphe Terris, found within the Detaille collection. Other highlights include Fernand Detaille's documentation of the port's quay with customs houses from 1907-1910, and Gérard Detaille's more contemporary work, such as his 1984 photograph of a cotton candy vendor on Quai de La Fraternité and his capture of La Canebière around 1960.
"We wanted this to belong to all Marseille residents," emphasized Gérard Detaille, reflecting the exhibition's community-focused approach. Museum director Fabrice Denise describes the show as "a piece of both Marseille's history and photography history," highlighting the dual significance of the collection as both historical documentation and artistic achievement.
The exhibition goes beyond just displaying photographs, offering visitors an immersive experience into the world of historical photography. The display includes period cameras and a reconstruction of the original Nadar studio, which was frequented by notable figures of the era. This comprehensive approach allows visitors to understand not just what was photographed, but how these images were created during different periods of photographic technology.
The Detaille family archive represents an unprecedented visual chronicle of Marseille's transformation from the mid-19th century through the modern era. The collection captures everything from major urban developments and architectural changes to intimate street scenes and daily life, providing historians and residents alike with an invaluable window into the city's past. The exhibition opens to the public this Friday at the Marseille History Museum.
