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black and white photograph of a man in a turban talking to two other mena group of men that are standing together in front of a treea piece of paper that has a picture of a man on itan old photo of a group of people walking down a pathmaroc, terre de soleil by terre de volontea black and white photo of a group of people sitting on the grounda black and white photo of a group of people sitting in front of a tentblack and white photograph of a man with a snake on his headan old black and white photo of a woman wearing a headdressan old black and white photo of a crowd of people in front of a buildingthree women dressed in traditional clothing standing next to each otherblack and white photograph of a group of women in traditional dressan old black and white photo of a woman wearing a headdressblack and white photo of a man riding a horse in front of a tenta black and white photo of a group of people riding horsesblack and white photograph of a man riding a horse in a fieldblack and white photograph of a large group of people standing in front of a tentblack and white photograph of a group of people dressed in traditional clothingblack and white photograph of three women in traditional clothing standing near a lakeblack and white photograph of a man standing next to a group of donkeysa black and white photo of a group of people standing in front of a fireblack and white photograph of a group of men and women working on a pile of sheepblack and white photograph of a group of men standing next to a horsemany people that are sitting on the ground togethera black and white photo of a woman wearing a headdressblack and white photograph of a group of people in front of a castlean old black and white photo of a group of people dressed in turbansblack and white photograph of two men on horses with gunsblack and white photograph of a group of people riding horsesblack and white photograph of a group of people sitting in a hammockblack and white photograph of a group of people sitting around a tablea close up of a handwritten letter on a piece of paperblack and white photograph of a crowd of people standing on top of a buildingblack and white photograph of a group of men standing around a large boxblack and white photograph of a group of people walking down a walkwayan old envelope with a handwritten letter on it and a picture of a birdblack and white photograph of a man and a child sitting on a porchblack and white photograph of a man holding a stick while a dog lays on the grounda black and white photo of a building that has a lot of bricks on itblack and white photograph of two men in turbans standing next to each othera black and white photo of a group of people with horsesa black and white photo of a woman in a turbanan old black and white photo of a man with a gunblack and white photograph of a man in a turban holding a wooden object
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169 - Jacques Belin (1910–1974), official photographer of the Fren…
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Estimate €1,500 - €2,500
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Description
Jacques Belin (1910–1974), official photographer of the French General Residency in Morocco, 1940–1942 A significant collection of 190 photographic prints 190 period silver-gelatine prints, 1940–1942, stamped by the photographer Jacques Belin on the reverse, some captioned, approx. 18 x 24 cm; for the most part, each photograph bears a handwritten inventory number assigned by Jacques Belin. The Centre des Archives Diplomatiques de Nantes (CADN) holds the Jacques Belin collection, comprising nearly 100,000 photographs in the form of plates, negatives and contact sheets (reference 21MA), dating from 1941 to 1961. Using the photograph’s inventory number, it is possible to find the precise caption for the image from the contact sheet, which is arranged numerically and can be consulted on the Diplomatic Archives’ website. This rare collection of documentary photographs, gifted by Jacque Belin to Jean-Loup Benjamin whilst he was posted in Rabat in 1942, chronicles the tours of the General Residence and the rituals of power under the Vichy regime. The photographs provide a detailed record of General Charles Noguès’s official inspections across the Dadès, Tafilalet and Draa regions, as well as official visits such as that of Admiral Darlan in October 1942. The photographs also illustrate the splendour of the Sultan of Morocco’s official journeys, capturing spectacular fantasias performed by Zemmour and Zaïan horsemen, notably during the grand reception at Ajdir in July 1941. Finally, a number of valuable photographs bear witness to life in military camps, showing the training of the 41st Marching Goum at Aïn Leuh in the spring of 1940. The collection offers a rare and authentic documentary insight into the rural economy and agro-pastoral traditions of the Berber communities of the Middle and High Atlas. Several photographs are devoted to traditional pastoral activities, such as shepherds tending their flocks of sheep in Khénifra, along the Oued Oum er Rbia, or guiding herds of goats over the rugged terrain of the Atlas Mountains. The agricultural life cycle is meticulously documented, from the ploughing of the soil using primitive mules-drawn ploughs in Aït Taddert, to the preparation of the threshing floor in Imilchil. Viewers also discover visually dynamic scenes of threshing, where the hooves of donkeys and mules trample the sheaves of wheat and barley in Rissani and the Tafilalet region. Local economic life is further brought to life through the wool trade in the high-altitude markets, the ritual butchering of sheep for ceremonial celebrations in Aïn Leuh, and the physical labour of the woodcutters working in the cedar forests near the Ajdir plateau. Jacques Belin also succeeded in capturing the sacred, mystical and festive dimensions of Moroccan culture, making his photographs first-rate ethnographic records. Traditional dance features prominently in his work, whether it be the graceful movements of the Chikkhat dancers in El Ksiba, the Taskiwin war dance in Amizmiz, or the nocturnal Ahouach festivals. The photographs taken in April 1941 during his travels in the Dades region immortalise the fervour of the tribes performing the Ahouach by the light of palm-frond bonfires, right at the heart of the Kasbah of Taourirt in Ouarzazate. The religious and folk rituals of the imperial and coastal cities are also depicted in all their splendour. Among the images are several photographs documenting the candlelit procession in Salé on the eve of Mouloud, showing young girls in festive dress parading along the ramparts. Similarly, the photo essays devoted to the moussem of Sidi Mohammed ben Lhassen or the annual festival of the Aïssaouas in Aïn Leuh reveal popular piety through the procession of offerings, the pilgrims’ encampments on the hills and the traditional bull sacrifice. Finally, many of the photographs are devoted to architecture, landscapes and urban genre scenes. In Fez, Jacques Belin explores the narrow alleyways of the medina, its ancient cemeteries and the raw, graphic work of the labourers in the traditional tanneries. In Marrakesh, he captures the bustling atmosphere of Djemaa el-Fna Square with its storytellers, fabric merchants and potters, as well as the nocturnal ambience of a traditional fondouk. The refinement of the local people is highlighted by beautiful, intimate portraits, such as that of a young girl from the Oudayas, absorbed in weaving a traditional tapestry, or those of numerous Berber women and dancers. Enclosed: General Noguès on a visit, photogravure based on a photograph by Jacques Belin, 23.5 x 30 cm, with a handwritten note signed and dated 25 May 1942: ‘To young Benjamin / with warmest regards’ Morocco, land of sunshine, land of determination, Imprimés Réunis, Casablanca, photographs by Jacques Belin, booklet 24 x 18 cm FIND THE FULL AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THIS LOT IN OUR ONLINE AUCTION CATALOGUE
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About the sale René Benjamin, the 20th-century Balzac scholar
Auction location
Auction time 10/06/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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