Chronology of Jean-Baptiste Tournassoud1866 (May 3): Jean-Baptiste Tournassoud is born in Montmerle sur Saône, district of Thoissey, in the region of Ain. He is the only son of Antoine Tournassoud, a shoemaker, and of Francoise (Franchette) Durand, a linen maid. 1878: Becomes an apprentice carpenter 1879: Receives a Certificate of primary studies in carpentry. A brilliant student, ranked first in the district in final exams. He begins work as a carpenter. 1887 (age 21): Completes military service, drafted as a soldier in the class of 1886, with the first engineering regiment of the military artillery in Avignon. 1891: Maréchal des logis chef, 6ème compagnie. La vie militaire le passionne. Sitôt terminé le service obligatoire, il pose sa candidature comme volontaire. 1891: lance Corporal, 6th company. Military life fascinates him. As his mandatory tour of duty ends, he volunteers to continue. 1892: Admitted to the Military Academy of artillery and engineering in Versailles. 1895: Leaves the Military Academy of Versailles with the rank of second lieutenant. Joins the 7th squadron of the equipage. (Confined in Dôle, near Dijon). 1898: Sent to the 14th squadron of the equipage (headquarters in La Part-Dieu, Lyon). Lives at 20, Duguesclin Street in Lyon. It is at this time that he meets and befriends the brothers Lumière with whom he improves his photographic technique. 1901: Weds Georgette Michel (1881- 1963), a native of Rustrel in the Vaucluse region. The young couple socializes with the Lyon middle-class circles (JT counts among his friends the deputy Rognon, his cousin by marriage, Justin Godard, Edouard Hériot). They associate with artistic circles; it is thanks to the Lyon painters Bruneton, Mangier, Villard and Moriceau that Jean Tournassoud acquires a solid knowledge composition and behavior of light. 1902: Birth of his only child: Juliette Tournassoud 1903: Takes part in Louis and Auguste Lumière's experiments, who have recently developed a process of color photography: the "Autochrome" plate. His wife, his family, and other relations will be the initial subjects of his own first experiments. The process will be commercialized in 1907. 1905: Second captain at the 14th squadron of the equipage, his military career offers many "photogenic" subjects: life within his corps, portraits of his arms comrades, his squadron horses (after military life and photography, horses were his third passion). At this time he is already practicing the art of staging, a style which is particular to him and which he will keep throughout his long photographic career. 1910: Captain at the 13th squadron of the equipage. 1911: Deposit of a patent 1912: Captain at the 14th squadron of the equipage 1914: Knight of the Legion of Honor. 1914: Declaration of the war: Called to take command of the C.V.A.D. 1/14 (horse-drawn formation). Identity card N0 14.363, captain commander, officer of the regular army. His work does not prevent him from carrying out frequent photographic missions: he takes several thousand images of war on the various front lines, nearly a thousand of these pictures are in color on Autochrome plates (Reims bombarded, Verdun besieged, the trenches, the back lines. The scenes are often staged, in a style at the same time familiar and theatrical that is characteristic to his work). He records valuable testimonies of the front lines and of the life in margin of the military actions, portraits of the marshals and Generals (Foch, Joffre, Pétain, Nivelle, Weygand, Lyautey, Mangin, Debeney etc.) Decorated with the Military Cross with two palms for his acts of bravery, he is also receives a special citation for his photographic achievements. 1915: Assigned to the War Minister cabinet. 1916: Assigned to the general staff of the 6th army (for geographical service), then to the general staff of the 121ème division of infantry (as director of the topographic service). 1917: General staff of the 3rd army (information) 1918: Cavalry major commanding the 11th squadron of the equipage then assigned to the cabinet of War Minister George Clemenceau, with whom he remained a faithful friend until his death in 1929. He is named director of the Army Photographic and Cinematographic Service. 1919: 15th squadron of the equipage (based in Orange). Remains assigned to the cabinet of the Minister. 1919: Organizes his first exhibition "Subjects of War 1914-1919." 750 photographs all captioned and dated in the exhibition catalogue which accompanies the show. In the foreword of the catalogue, Major Tournassoud writes: "Far from me the thought to make, with my limited resources, a photographic history of the war... I only sought to note my personal memories and impressions, sometimes amusing and comforting, too often, alas! Full of sadness and of indignation... If I could obtain some happy results, I owe them to Messrs Auguste and to Louis Lumière, my guides, who led me for many years in the artistic way, and I would be very grateful if they would allow me to dedicate to them the whole of these memories as a testimony of my admiration and my recognition" Paris, February 23, 1919. Major Tournassoud. A splendid book entitled "1914-1919, The War, 150 Artist plates from the personal collection of Major Tournassoud" is published. Marechal Petain, who had been the Commander in Chief of the French Army, wrote the preface. 1920: Retires with the rank of Major after 32 years of services. In July he is promoted to Officer of the Legion of Honor. His social life begins again on the model of the pre-war period in Lyon. During his long military career, he accepted many honors which include the Military Cross with two palms, the medal of the Rescue, the gold medal of allied as well as a special quotation for invaluable services rendered to the command: "On the front lines since the beginning of the campaign and until October 1918 - has directed with authority the supplying services in zones and stations subjected to the fire of the enemy. Has also accomplished several photographic missions at the front line infantry observatories, at the time of the preparation of the Somme offensive, in April 1916, and thus rendered invaluable services to the command." 1920: Marriage of daughter Juliette Tournassoud with René Michey. 1921: Invited by George Clemenceau in his Vendee residence, an event which gives Major Tournassoud the opportunity to take many photographs of the "Tiger". 1922: Birth of Tournassoud's grand daughter Paulette Michey, (artist with multiple talents, well-known under the pseudonym of Mick Micheyl. She has been a successful painter, singer, song writer, sculptor, and a star on the stage of the Casino de Paris). 1926: Acquires for his family a beautiful house "La Smala" located under the Chapelle des Minimes in Montmerle sur Saône. There, he installs his darkroom. He devotes himself to photography until the end of his life: landscape, animals, portraits, documentary, inventory of the monuments of his region, folklore, gypsies or circus people. He starts the most prolific period of his life: for 25 more years the Major Tournassoud will work on diversified styles, personal work as well as commissions. 1938: Follows the folk group of the Pays de Bresse and produces the album "Au Pays Bressan" as well as an edition of postcards in collotype. 1950: Exhibits in the showrooms of the Société Française de Photographie 1951: January 5, Major Tournassoud dies at the age of 84. |