Jean-Marie Périér, an iconic photographer of the sixties and seventies and a key figure of the magazine “Salut les copains”, was at the heart of a generation of artists who left their mark on the 1960s and 1970s. Through his iconic photographs, he shaped the image of many stars, including Johnny Hallyday, Sylvie Vartan, and Françoise Hardy, with whom he had close ties. As the former companion of Sylvie Vartan, he also mingled closely with Johnny Hallyday and his entourage. It was within this circle that he witnessed Nathalie Baye, the singer’s partner in the 1980s, evolve.
He was the author of the “Photo of the Century”, an iconic photograph taken in 1966 for the magazine “Salut les copains”, bringing together numerous stars of the yé-yé scene. Taken on April 12 of that same year, this photograph was published in June as the central poster of the special 47th issue, celebrating the magazine’s fourth anniversary.
“Et maintenant Nathalie Baye”
On Instagram, Jean-Marie Périér accompanied his tribute with an archived photograph uniting Johnny Hallyday, Sylvie Vartan, and Françoise Hardy. A powerful image, symbolizing an entire generation, which he himself contributed to shaping through his iconic photographs published in the press at the time. The faces that have become iconic, whom he has closely interacted with and immortalized, still embody the spirit of those years today.
In the caption, the photographer let his emotions speak out about the passing of Nathalie Baye: “Johnny, Sylvie, and Françoise… And now as Nathalie Baye is leaving, I feel like I’m watching snowflakes fall.”
A story at the heart of this generation
“Thankfully, Sylvie remains…” he wrote at the end of his message, as if clinging to those who remain from that era. If Jean-Marie Périér is so touched, it is also because he shared a personal story with Françoise Hardy. Their relationship, which marked the 1960s, placed him in the intimacy of that group of artists. He continued to mingle with that close circle, in which Nathalie Baye also moved in the 1980s.
Furthermore, despite their separation, Françoise Hardy and Jean-Marie Périér remained very close. Over the years, the singer regularly expressed her support to him, especially during exhibitions or when he was decorated by the Ministry of Culture in 2006.
