PARIS UNDER OCCUPATION - Lot 205

PARIS UNDER OCCUPATION Reconstructions (Place de la Concorde, the Opera, the Café de Paris…) for Vincente Minnelli’s film *The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse*, 1960. 3 photos, period silver gelatin prints, captioned (with labels, two of which are dated), stamped, and annotated on the backs. 13 x 18 cm each. Note: This set of three photographs taken in 1960 documents the impressive sets recreating Paris during the Occupation for the film *The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse* (*Les Quatre Cavaliers de l’Apocalypse*) directed by Vincente Minnelli. Adapted from the famous novel by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, this film transposes the action to World War II and required the meticulous recreation of iconic locations in the French capital, such as the Place de la Concorde, the Opera, and the Café de Paris. A leading director of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Vincente Minnelli is renowned for the exceptional care he took with the staging, sets, and art direction of his productions. These period prints offer a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into this historical reconstruction and bear witness to the considerable effort expended by the production teams to recreate the atmosphere of occupied Paris. As such, they serve as fascinating documents on the history of cinema and the reconstruction techniques used by major international productions of the 1960s.