Regularly, the now centenarian photographs are exhibited, often by theme. What was initially a commercial activity is now proving to be a formidable artistic and social showcase of 20th century life.
Thus after an Yvette Horner exhibition at the media library or that of the stars on the go, the Natural History Museum extends an exhibition which interests tourists as much as locals.
The Alix studio was created in 1907 in Bagnères-de-Bigorre. The three generations of photographers of the Eyssalet family have constituted, throughout the 20th century, a unique visual memory of the Hautes-Pyrénées. The archives, the subject of a donation to the town hall of Bagnères in 2005, contain several hundred thousand photos.
After studio portraits, there are shots of Pyrenean landscapes with their pastoral and rural activities. They then testify to the growth of winter sports in the Pyrenees. From the early 1930s, the Alix studio used its technical skills to support the industrial and commercial development of the region. For the needs of merchants, they photograph storefronts. They also operate for clients such as the Soulé establishments which manufacture trains, trams or caravans. They take fashion photographs for the textile company Comet.
Studio Alix’s commercial photography, while selling a product or a lifestyle, also tells us a story.
Stars on the go: until August 31, at the media library; The Art of Commercial Photography: until November 5, at the Muséum Vallon de Salut