Archives that have dogs!
Reading time: 4 minutes
To the summary
- A word from François
- Montargis (Loiret): it decorates its walls with archival photos
- From workshop to office
- New exhibition: the dog of Saint Roch
- Dogs: from antiquity to comics
- Mistral or Buffalo?
- Abbe Photo: our challenge is 72,000 photos to scan
A word from François
We throw it all away? These old photos take dust. They're in trouble. In the age of artificial intelligence, we could recreate everything. Three clicks and hop. But that's not true!
And, in times of trouble, remembering good memories helps. Archive photos are an incredible way to enjoy yourself. "Passadoc, better than meds," Claude said. He is one of Passadoc's volunteers. The association created in 2016 encourages the public to digitize their photos.
In this edition, JC decorates its walls with archival photos. He explains why.
Dog time settles down, so they are our stars: a historic apartment full of photos of dog (in transhumance in particular), famous dogs since Antiquity and the dog of a Nobel Prize in literature!
Good reading!
François Abbe
Montargis (Loiret): he decorates his walls with archive photos
Hello Jean-Christophe DENIS! We'd like to know you a little better... Tell us a little about you...
I live in Montargis – a municipality in the Loiret that crosses the Loing and the Canal de Briare – I work for « BlueLemon » and supports companies in their digital transformation on the « Commercial engineering », inviting them to implement solutions to improve their competitiveness and stand out from their competitors.
How did you know Passadoc?
Before I knew Passadoc, I first knew François! We do the same job, we met in 2021 and over the years, which was « sympathy » became « friendship ».
Recently, he told me a little about his childhood, the profession of his father, photographer and journalist who travelled the world. I discovered the extraordinary family album of 100,000 slides!
And then what?
Then I chose a few to decorate my office, images so less agreed than those we meet everywhere!
They arouse surprise from my visitors who question me... Another way to install communication and customer relationship!
Thank you Jean-Christophe DENIS for this very pleasant exchange.
(concerned by Jeanne)
From the workshop to the office!
New exhibition: The dog of Saint Roch
In the heart of the historical centre of Montpellier, a few meters from the well of Saint-Roch (14th century) ABBE PHOTO exhibits photos of ABBE, until 25 November.
We know the peasant and Provencal ties of André, his past as a globetrotter, as a journalist, we know his « intellectual curiosity almost without limit » as his friend Daniel Bizien wrote.
Over time, André has accumulated thousands of slides, constituting an extremely rich photographic documentation. The exhibition brings together a few dozen.
Visits are private: it is essential to register [ https://abbe.photo/dog/ ].
*Saint Roch – born in Montpellier around 1349 – is considered the patron saint of dogs; A legend tells us that in order not to transmit the plague he suffers, he is isolated in a forest. As he agonizes, God sends him a dog daily that licks his wounds and brings him a little bread.
Dogs: from antiquity to comics
« The dog, man's best friend ». In mythology, the dog accompanies souls to the kingdom of the dead, especially in Egyptians with Anubis.
In Greece, Cerbère – a three-headed monstrous dog with solid jaws with black and sharp teeth – is the guardian of the underworld. Capture Cerberus is the twelfth of Hercules's works, after which the half-god obtains immortality.
In Mexico, Xolotl (naked dog, hairless) is the god who accompanies the sun on his journey under the ground to protect him during the night. Do not read the following: the meat of xolotl was then considered a delicate dish...
One could continue this journey for a long time and thus travel the world because The history of the dog, domesticated for at least 15,000 years, is part of the history of humanity.1.
Dogs and monarchs
- Louis XI (1423-1484) surrounded by lechers; If they are sick, he has masses given to heal them!
- Henry III (1551-1589), who loved jewelry and laces, also loved toy dogs, small dogs, for which he spent colossal sums 2 ECU 100 000 per year!
In Versailles, kings love dogs!
- At the court of Louis XIV (1638-1715), a pastry cooks cookies, no doubt tasty, that the dogs of the Sun King will taste.
- Louis XV (1710-1774): pack dogs are very numerous; It is said that the ruler knows every beast by name: Charlotte, Cocoq, Gredinet, Hermine, Jemite, Petite Fille, ... but his favorite, is Filou, a Charles king, who slept on comfortable velvet cushions, wearing necklaces of precious stones on the neck.
- Louis XVI (1754-1793) likes to walk in the company of spaniels, bracs, juries... Marie-Antoinette prefers the carlins.
- In England, all her life Queen Elizabeth II will be surrounded by dorgis and corgis.
- At Elysée, the Republican dog is the labrador! Balticfor F. Mitterrand; Samba, for V. Giscard d'Estaing; Clara, for N. Sarkozy; Philaefor F. Holland; NemoFor E. Macron!
Dogs in literature.
They cannot be cited as many. Let's try a short list:
- The Dog and My dog Pegasus, Ivan Tourgueniev.
- My stupid dog, John Fante.
- Beast dialogues, with Toby-Chien from the delicious Colette. Without animals, I'm sickShe said.
- Croc-Blanc, Jack London. Croc-Blanc was a wolf, the hereditary marauder.
- The Dog of the Baskerville, Arthur Conan Doyle.
- Jacques the Fatalist, Denis Diderot: Well, says Jacques, everyone has his dog. The minister is the king's dog, the first clerk is the minister's dog, the wife is the husband's dog, or the husband is the wife's dog.
- The Contemplations – Ponto (poem), Victor Hugo: I Tell my black dog: — Come on, Ponto, come on! —And I go into the woods, put like a peasant....
- Without family, Hector Malot: As for you, Mr Capi, you are a good dog; Give me the leg I'll hold you.
And the dogs of comics!
Rantanplan And Lucky Luke... Pluto, Dingo… The Belle and the Clochard... And W. Diyney! Dagobert, the dog Club of Five, (d)Enid Blyton.
Here too the list is long, very long, too long! Better stop there.
Jeanne Monin
1 Anne Tresset, archeozoologist
2 Stone of the Estoile, memorialist (1546-1611)
Research on various sites.
Mistral or Buffalo?
One evening in October 1891, Frédéric Mistral returned home. On the road, a little black-haired dog runs after him, partyes him, then performs a real circus number. Mistral chases him, threatening him with his stick and then continues his road.
The next day, in front of his door, Mistral finds the dog who obviously followed and who again makes his circus! In short, Mistral ends up adopting him, baptizing him « Lost Pan » And a beautiful, beautiful friendship is born between the two! Wherever Mistral goes, the dog follows him! This friendship will last two years, until Pan Perdu goes to the paradise of dogs leaving the poet very unhappy.
A few years before his death, Mistral drew up the plans for his mausoleum tomb! Besides beautiful faces of Provencals and the felibrean star, the poet demanded that a grave sculptor on the stone of Pan Lost.
But listen to the most surprising! While he was in the United States, Pierre Roumel1 – who will tell this story – visits the museum1 dedicated to Buffalo Bill; A dog is mentioned... Surprisingly, he finds that the famous bison hunter and Mistral look alike!
Pierre Roumel then asks questions about this dog. He does research and learns that William Cody2 came to Provence in 1889 with a circus. After his tour, he was invited by Marquis Folco de Baroncelli3 ; Buffalo Bill tells his host that he lost his circus dog in Tarascon!
Did Pan Perdu travel miles across the fields, on the roads to tie up with his lost master? The story may be romantic, but it's pretty.
If you are looking for a photo of Buffalo Bill, you will see that the resemblance between the Provençal poet and the American prairie runner is striking!
Claude Boyer – Passadoc
1 Journalist – Author of various books including Chronicles of my Provence.
2 Near Denver – Colorado.
3 Birth name of Buffalo Bill (1846-1917).
4 Manadier and French writer; b. 01 Nov 1869 in Aix-en-Provence and d. 15 Dec 1943 in Avignon.
Abbe Photo: our challenge is 72,000 photos to scan
« Heritage photography" , it is Geneviève Bresc-Bautier (Musée du Louvre) who thus describes the photos of André Abbe. A photoreporter career started in 1969 with two decades of unique photos. It is important to save this collection because it is our heritage: Provence, France, Europe, the whole world.
The exhibits allow the public to discover the collection. JC is the first private purchaser of photos. Soon, a first SME will invest in art works (numbered and signed photo prints). Thanks to them and thanks to you for the support!
Chronology :
2015 : beginning of digitisation of the 100,000 photos
2023 : another 87000 photos to scan
2025 : another 72000 photos to scan
2030: end of digitization?
