F.C. Leroux, a little-known yet prolific Parisian photographer of the 1940s and 1950s, captured this view of Île Saint-Louis. The photograph showcases his eye for architectural detail and composition, with bare winter branches delicately framing the classic Haussmanian buildings along the Seine. Like his contemporary Eugène Atget, Leroux methodically documented Paris, though he also shared the humanist perspective of photographers like Robert Doisneau and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

A self-taught artist, Leroux not only photographed but printed his work, creating unique hand-bound books of his images. His archive of roughly 700 prints was discovered after his death in the 1980s, preserved by a friend to whom he had entrusted his life's work.

This particular view of the Île Saint-Louis holds special meaning for me, as I've spent countless hours working at a picnic table along the right bank during warmer months. I've paired Leroux's atmospheric winter scene with my own recent photograph to show how this timeless corner of Paris has endured through the decades.

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