MK Gallery in Milton Keynes, UK, is presenting "Jacques Henri Lartigue: Life in Colour," a major exhibition dedicated to the rarely seen colour photographs of French artist Jacques Henri Lartigue. The show brings together over 150 works spanning seven decades, focusing on a body of colour images that account for nearly 40 percent of his archive of more than 100,000 photographs but had remained largely unseen until recently. Alongside colour works, the exhibition includes early stereoscopic images, vintage prints, archival documents, and works on paper, tracing Lartigue's creative journey from childhood drawings to fashion photography and experimental floral abstractions.
This exhibition matters because it challenges the prevailing view of Lartigue as solely a master of black-and-white spontaneous photography, revealing him as an early and persistent experimenter with colour processes like autochrome. By showcasing this previously hidden aspect of his practice, the show expands the legacy of one of the 20th century's most celebrated image-makers and offers a fresh perspective on his artistic vision. It also highlights how institutional collaboration—with the Association des Amis de Jacques Henri Lartigue and the French Ministry of Culture—can bring overlooked archival material to public attention.