{"id":1251,"date":"2026-06-09T11:17:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T09:17:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hanssilvester.com\/2026\/06\/camargue-hans-silvester-jean-giono-rediscovering-a-cult-classic-photo-book\/"},"modified":"2026-06-09T11:17:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T09:17:17","slug":"camargue-hans-silvester-jean-giono-rediscovering-a-cult-classic-photo-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hanssilvester.com\/en\/2026\/06\/camargue-hans-silvester-jean-giono-rediscovering-a-cult-classic-photo-book\/","title":{"rendered":"Camargue \u2013 Hans Silvester & Jean Giono: Rediscovering a Cult Classic Photo Book"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
\"Camargue<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

The meeting of a photographer and a writer<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

When the young German photographer Hans Silvester arrives in Camargue<\/b> in 1958, he falls under the charm of this wild territory and settles there to take photos of a pure and luminous nature.<\/p>\r\n

The publisher consulted for a potential publication of these magnificent images requires a preface.<\/p>\r\n

Driven by his passion, Silvester convinces Jean Giono<\/b>, a Proven\u00e7al writer then at the height of his art, to write not a preface, but a long poetic and engaged narrative.<\/p>\r\n

The album Camargue<\/b> published in 1960 by the Guilde du Livre<\/b> met with immediate success.<\/p>\r\n

A visual and poetic album<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

The book Camargue<\/i> shows the raw landscapes of the Rh\u00f4ne delta, the Camargue horses<\/b> captured at eye level and the changing reflections of the lagoons.
Giono\u2019s style accompanies the images: he does not describe, he narrates and blows a wind of poetry: you come across the guardians<\/b>, the salty winds, the \u201cmoon that whitens the reeds,\u201d and you think you hear the horses neighing as you turn the pages. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

A recovered poetic dialogue<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

In 2026, the association of the Friends of Giono<\/b> proposes a reissue of this book.<\/p>\r\n

The Les Perles Rares editions<\/b> limit the print run to 1 000 copies<\/b> and its price, under \u20ac30<\/b>, is nothing short of miraculous for art lovers.
Unlike the original edition, which contained around a hundred photographs, this new edition emphasizes legibility and print quality. The dialogue between the writer and the photographer remains intact: Giono offers a dreamlike Camargue, while Silvester, through his images, makes you feel the delta wind and hear the horses\u2019 hooves.<\/p>\r\n

Why rediscover this treasure?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

For decades, Camargue<\/i> remained a collector\u2019s item<\/b>. The 2026 reissue is an opportunity to savor this unique dialogue once again:<\/p>\r\n