French Literature Reviews - 2026
B. Joinnault, La photographie au théâtre, XIXe-XXIe siècles
Theatre and Performance
Review published in Acta Fabula (January 2022, vol. 23, no. 1): "La photographie au théâtre : une épistémologie foisonnante à l’épreuve de la scène" by Marianne Picart.
La photographie au théâtre, XIXe-XXIe siècles
Brigitte Joinnault
Presses Universitaires du Septentrion
2021
314 p.
ISBN: 9782757432853
26.00 €
La Photographie au théâtre demonstrates how theatrical aesthetics and imaginaries have been profoundly shaped by photography over the past century and a half—through its techniques, apparatuses, production processes, images, as well as their uses and dissemination. Drawing on theoretical reflections, analyses of nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century archives, studies of artistic practices from the 1960s to the present day, accounts of research-creation experiments, and artists' testimonies, the theatre-photography pairing emerges as an exemplary subject for examining the interactions between new and old media, as well as for revisiting the history of modern and contemporary theatre.
The intersection of theatrical performance and photographic media has long engaged scholars of modern visual culture and performance studies. Academic inquiry in this field typically examines how technical apparatuses, images, and dissemination practices influence stage aesthetics and artistic expression over time. By investigating the dynamic exchanges between older dramatic traditions and emerging visual technologies, researchers seek to understand the evolving nature of representation. This scholarly focus aligns with broader investigations into intermediality and the historical transformation of artistic practices across the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries.
Brigitte Joinnault investigates in La Photographie au théâtre how theatrical aesthetics and imaginaries have been shaped by photography across the past century and a half. The study draws on theoretical reflections, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century archives, artistic practices from the 1960s onward, research-creation accounts, and artists' testimonies to examine media interactions and modern theatre history. Readers interested in the historical relations between performance and visual media may find this volume relevant.