EN :
…knew where to meet their friends Hans Hartung and Eva Bergman during the hottest part of summer, when the complete calmness offered by the small beaches and peaceful atmosphere of Saint-Tropez attracted them irresistibly.
For them, the charm of this place came mostly from the absolute relaxation found there during very different vacations. Still modest, perhaps due to circumstances, life among artists and friends was easygoing and free from any restrictive social formalities. Hans Hartung and Eva Bergman, whom they met regularly, lived at that time in a house near the bay, in Croix Valmer. The visitors never failed to notice that their hosts had hung on the wall a large wooden plank shaped by the sea, whose natural forms presented a striking resemblance to Hartung’s paintings… (« Nature paints too! », exclaimed a friend ironically.) Isn’t there, in an old issue of San Lazzaro, a superb portrait of San Lazzaro taken by photographer Hans Hartung himself?
Then came the era of barefoot celebrations, spontaneous and improvised. This carefree attitude contributed significantly to Hartung’s mood, and to the quality of his friendships. Hans, who was inclined to be taciturn, always appreciated the vivacity and charm of some, the quiet reserve of others. This painter, who for a long time had been searching for himself through forms and plastic experiments, discovered at Croix Valmer certain landscapes, certain colours—golden sand, deep shadows of pine trees—reflected in his later work.
Indeed, Hans Hartung loved the tranquil atmosphere of Croix Valmer precisely because, there, he could easily satisfy his passion for photography, discreetly capturing the grace and happiness of the moment. Photography was, for Hartung, a means of immediate expression. And through this photographic activity, he was able to compose superb albums, preserving in his archives precious documents which bear witness to the happy days spent with Eva Bergman and their friends.
Yes, these are truly works of art, rather than mere photographs.
