Francoise Bornet became an enduring symbol of romance when she and her then boyfriend, Jacques Carteaud, were featured in “The Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville,” a 1950 photograph by Robert Doisneau that has become a staple of posters, postcards, and home décor.
- Died: December 25, 2023 (Who else died on December 25?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 93.
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Francoise Bornet’s legacy
In 1950, Bornet and her boyfriend, Jacques Carteaud, were spending a day in Paris like any other when their affection for one another caught the eye of photographer Robert Doisneau. He asked if they would mind kissing again, this time for the camera. Bornet and Carteaud obliged. Doisneau’s photo was used as part of a spread in Life magazine, and that appeared to be the end of the story.
Almost four decades later, “The Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville” surged to international fame when it was featured on the cover of a 1988 issue of Télérama, a French lifestyle magazine. Soon, it began to appear on posters, postcards, and other inspirational images. The photo’s popularity and commercial success resulted in other couples claiming to be the ones featured picture, sparking multiple legal disputes. However, after Bornet produced an original copy of the photo bearing Doisneau’s signature, the cases were thrown out of court and Bornet cemented her place in history.
While their moment of romance remains immortalized in Doisneau’s iconic photo, Bornet and Carteaud’s relationship was comparatively short-lived – the couple broke up not long after the photo was taken. Bornet went on to be an actress for several years under her maiden name, Francoise Delbart, appearing in such French films as “The Possessors,” “C’est la vie parisienne,” and “Crainquebille” in the 1950s. Doisneau died in 1994 while Carteaud died in 2006.
Notable quote
“I was with my boyfriend. We couldn’t stop kissing. We were kissing all over the place, all the time. Robert Doisneau was in the bar, he asked us to pose for him.”—from an interview with La Dépêche d’Évreux
Tributes to Francoise Bornet
Full obituary: BBC
