The Body in Secret

Raymond Voinquel
"The Body in Secret"

Exhibition: 9 April – June 20, 2026

David Guiraud is pleased to present the exhibition "Raymond Voinquel – The Body in Secret," which reveals a lesser-known aspect of the work of French photographer Raymond Voinquel (1912–1994).

Usually admired for his set photography and his portraits of major figures in theatre and cinema, Voinquel also explored the male body with a sensitivity that was rare for his time.

Created in the mid-20th century, these photographs of male nudes reflect a vision that is both classical and profoundly modern. Inspired by antique sculpture, dance, and theatrical aesthetics, Voinquel stages the body with sculptural precision and controlled lighting that reveals the tension of muscles, the purity of lines, and the elegance of movement.

Long kept confidential, these images now form an exceptional body of work in the history of French photography. At a time when representations of the male nude were rare and often marginal, Voinquel was one of the few photographers in the world to develop an aesthetic, sensitive, and deeply artistic body of work centered on the human form.

This exhibition presents around twenty rare works, difficult to assemble, as the artist did not make this work publicly available and produced prints very sparingly. The gallery is exhibiting vintage prints from the 1930s and 1940s, featuring Louis Jourdan, Jean Marais, and Jacques Sernas as models, as well as later prints in 30 × 40 cm and others signed in 50 × 60 cm, specially produced for his only exhibition in the United States.