Sarko's majestic portrait

 

New French presidents pose for an official portrait which will grace the country's 36,664 town and village halls, as well as police stations and embassies and consulates around the world.  Much is read into the choice of photographer, setting and the pose struck by the great man. Here, fresh from the printers', is Monsieur le Président de la République Nicolas Sarkozy.

Sarko chose as his portraitist Philippe Warrin, a photographer with the Sipa agency who is known for his glossy shots of film and television celebrities. This led to speculation that Sarko, who sees himself as a hip kind of a guy, would shun gravity and go for something more relaxed than his predecessors. 

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing did that in 1974 when he broke with the morning coat  and regalia of Charles de Gaulle and Georges Pompidou [see below]. Giscard stood on the palace steps in a breeze in front of a flag when Jacques-Henri Lartigue snapped his picture. Lartigue said that Giscard, who was only 48 at the time, wanted une photo gaie -- a happy shot. In 1995, Jacques Chirac avoided the stuffy old pose and cut a friendly figure in the garden, shot by Bettina Rheims, who made her name with erotic nudes [below].

[Breezy Giscard with flag, reflective Mitterrand with Montaigne]

King Sarko I did not go back to the tailed coat, but almost, when he opted for the scholar-statesman pose in a dark suit against the shelves of the Elysée library. The same backdrop was used by de Gaulle, Georges Pompidou and François Mitterrand, three of his five predecessors in the Fifth Republic. Unlike Sarkozy, those three were all men of letters, especially Mitterrand. The literary Mitterrand was photographed by Gisèle Freund seated while leafing through Montaigne's Essays. Sarkozy's lighting has also reverted to the darker tones of the de Gaulle Pompidou era.

Sarkozy, who is, shall we say, the least tall president in modern history and who fought for years to be taken seriously by the establishment, was clearly out for something that projected the majesty of his office. The angle, slightly low, "heightens" his gravitas. The only innovation was the insertion of the 12-starred blue flag of the European Union. Le Figaro, which is devoted to Sarkozy, produced a  breathless review of the portrait, which was shot in 20 minutes last Monday. Sarkozy made no pretence, wrote Irina de Chikoff. "In his official photo, it is easy to see that he is proud, happy to be president. Absolutely determined not to hide it."

Unlike presidents from Napoleon III to Chirac, Sarkozy the man does not hide behind the function, said Chikoff. "What if Nicolas has the aim, the cheek, to want to remain himself while at the same time assuming the role that has become his own,?" she gushed on. "The official photo of the head of state testifies to this wish. To this obstinacy. To govern. And live." 

Phew ! The scribblers of the royal court at Versailles used to flatter like that.

PS: I'll give Sarko et compagnie a rest for a few days' long weekend. Back next week.

  [left avuncular Chirac 1995]

[old world Pompidou 1969]

[haughty de Gaulle 1958]

Comments

[jorgandersen]

Funny how those flags make him look even shorter. Why on earth did they put him behind them? Been enjoying this blog greatly by the way.

[raztokep]

Sarkozy's is the worst of all. I really don't like it, can't they just shoot another one ?

See, this would have been great for democracy, shoot a few picture and ask the french to vote online for the one they prefer.

This one is really bad.

[Groucheaux]

A nicely shot and suitably statesmanlike pic - eschews Blair-like shirtsleeve vaccuousness, respects the significance of presidency and visually symbolises Sarko's wishes to 'restore values'. From a marketing perspective, well-judged.
(And I'd endorse Jorgandersen's praise for yr blog - greatly enjoyed down here in la France profonde, bonne continuation!)

[john]

Actually Mr Bremner, as of March 2007 there are 36,780 town and village halls, not 36,664 as you mistakenly stated. 36,568 are in metropolitan France, and 212 are overseas, my favorite being the town hall of L'Île-des-Pins which is located a good 10,500 miles from Paris, and will be graced with Sarkozy's picture as any other town hall. The village hall of Saül, in the middle of the jungle, several days away from Cayenne by pirogue, is also an interesting case. I reckon they'll have to change Sarkozy's portrait quite often over there due to the jungle climate.

Then add to these the 37 arrondissements halls of Paris, Lyon, and Marseille, and you actually get a total of 36,817 mairies in the French Republic. That's a lot of Sarkozy's portraits. I bet there don't exist as many official portraits of George W.

[John H]

OK, point taken: Sarkozy isn't very tall. Neither was Mitterrand. Giscard is tall. So is Chirac. "Match nul". Now, please, give us a break!

[A.Gilbert]

Dull. Dull .Dull.
He's photogenic, so why not some beautiful French building with a lawn somewhere in France; Sarkozy sitting on a balastrade, open necked shirt, sleeves rolled up.
He exudes intelligence with energy, we need to see the human persona.

[Robert Marchenoir]

Dreadful picture.

Sarkozy, who is set to give a brand new style to French politics, reverts to a very old-style official portrait -- without the majesty which once justified that style and which has ceased long ago to be socially acceptable.

This picture is unlike the man and unlike his politics.

I suspect the photographer to be a closet socialist on a mission. He should be shot for high treason, at dawn, in the Elysée gardens.

[Little Big Horn]

Ha ha! The puppet regime!

Is it the Queen? Is it Madame Tussauds?

No, of course, it is just the ultra-Conservatives' truth.

Poor France.

It is terrible that so many people dare talk about "l'image de la France". Is France a dead thing? With President Grévin-Sarkozy, it will definitely not be a living being, precisely what the market is asking to the State: Don’t move!

And if I had been the photographer, I would have been further and have said to Sarko at the crucial instant: “Hands up, Mr President!” “Mains en l’air”, “la bourse ou la vie?” That would have done a pretty official picture, and a true living pose.
(I’m sure he would have answer: “la Bourse”, the bastard!).

[Ruben]

Monsieur le Président may have another picture in print by next year, with "the message" changed. May be a United Nations flag? Médecins Sans Frontières logo?

[Dominique]

a XIXth century bourgeois with a belly

[rocket]

Why not Sarkozy presenting by hand extended palm open in front of a wonderful cheese plate with a dozen or so varieties of cheese and a leg of Bayonne ham with sheep grazing in the background in an idyllic country panorama.

As Nasa said at the time of the Challenger explosion "definitely a major malfunction"

So we can say today. "Definitely a major photgraphic error." He seems to shrink an inch more every time I look at the photo.

[christopher muir]

Small point, but Sarko just reaches the fourth shelf of books, so does De Gaulle's head reach only the fourth shelf. Different book shelf. or even clever placement and angle to elevate Sarko to Gaullist heights? Amused to be reminded that the brilliant and audacious Bettina Rheims had taken the photo of Chirac. Somehow, she seemed an unlikely court photographer. There's a good sampling of Rheim's provocative work on the web.

[rocket]

Check out the cadrage de la photo here. Much better

http://tinyurl.com/ys2xdm

[John Gregory Flinn]

The photographic composition is poor - the flag drowns the subject, President Sarkozy.
It seems deliberate and I agree with Robert Marchenoir's suspicions.

[Valentin]

Sober, lean, standing, I find it somewhat à l'americaine. The angle can often be seen in US presidents' official portraits of the 19th century.

[Sarah Hague]

I don't like this photo at all. It's so boring, one falls asleep just looking at it. I don't know why Sarko is facing the flags which swamp him anyway. In fact, we almost see more of the flags than we do of him, which is silly.

If the photographer is a professional, he should be sacked and tactfully told to change careers. If he did it deliberatly, I totally agree with Robert Marchenoir in that he should be tried for treason and shot at dawn, or sent to walk the banlieues at midnight...

[A.Gilbert]

So it's official now.
Sarah Hague and Robert Marchenoir are to go in person to the Elysee and click the New Official Portrait.
Other compatriots of this blog are to 'round up the outgoing photographer and accompany him/her to St. Helen island .Rocket's job is to fire a cannon preceding Maggie G's daily report from the Atlantic so that we may all know things are in order.

[peter kinsley www.peterkinsley.com]

Ah! Portraits of the famous: reminds me of the Winston Churchill birthday photograph when The Daily Mail had the "rota" (their turn to take the pic for distribution to all the others) and they had only a crime reporter, Driscoll, and the courts photographer, Cassingham, with shabby mac and bitten nails, in the office. Reluctantly, the Pictures Editor sent them to Hyde Park Gate, where Churchill waited. "Damn, I have no film" announced Cassingham." "Dash back to the office for a roll then," said Driscoll. Churchill waited, seated, glaring. Driscoll tried to smile. Churchill glared. "Well sir, I know I am not supposed to be interviewing you, but may I at least wish you a happy birthday?" "I know you," the great man growled. "You're the one who buggered it up last time!"

[marguerite]

Il est marrant votre blog !
Moi je trouve que ce grand drapeau accentue , chez Sarko, son allure de petit schtroumf avec oreilles face a la route, gros ventre et gros derriere -il ne lui manque que le bonnet !- mais j'ai des amis qui trouvent que c'est une tres bonne idee , tres "noble", d'avoir pose ,sur sa photo officielle, avec le drapeau europeen

[Suffolk County]

who cares about the photo.........its the policies that matter

[richard jones]

If the flag was smaller some would be saying Sarko was trying to be greater than la France. It is what he does not what he looks like. UK is coming to the end of 10 years of image, spin and bluster instead of substance, progress and vision. So now, for la France, on with what happens and what it means and what it will do, not what it looks like

[Robert Marchenoir]

Marguerite: the Left has made ample fun of Sarkozy because of his short size. Now the new trend seems to be about his supposedly ample bottom, which by the way is nowhere to be seen on this official photograph.

I predict we will soon be treated to some interesting discussions about inches on his other side.

[Helen]

Not very impressed. He could have like, smiled, or something.

I really like (liked?) Chirac's one.

[richard jones]

Chiraq did have the best photo but what a cad he turned out to be

[Susannah]

Robert Marchenoir:

Thank you; your comment made me laugh out loud. I also was wondering where precisely one could find a "gros derriere" in the above picture.

Like most of the commentators, I don't feel it's a flattering portrait. But I do like the *idea* of it, the fact that he called on a more formal style -- and really, if he'd done something informal, you'd be hearing accusations of Blair-like slickness and flashiness, I suspect.

[Richard Black, Paris]

It conveys the Sarkozy message quite well though...return to traditional values, authority etc with the modernity represented by the European flag....a little conceited though ? Is he claiming to be President of both France and Europe (France is Europe ? Europe is France ?)

[Daniel Strohl]

Robert Marchenoir,

May I remind you that the legal length unit in France, even in very private matters, is the "cm", and not the "inch" ?

If people mix up inches and cm, "interesting discussions" may indeed occur ...

[Howard Grattan]

This is a brilliant photograph; the rapport between artist and subject is exceptional, and totally different from any earlier portrait, even de Gaulle's. The attention to detail is subtle, and extraordinary; the circle of lighting frames the emerging circle of EU stars in the flag; the golden crest on the book, behind his right temple; the tunnel of light catching the ring on the finger, but converging on the face. This man will be extraordinary, a Ferrari. The Italians had better watch out; never mind about the French. Howard Grattan

[Paul]

Hmm... he is showing no shirt cuff, the tie is undimpled and he lacks a pocket square. Poor show.