Lucien Clergue (1934–2014) was a prominent French photographer and artist known for his evocative imagery of the Mediterranean landscape, particularly the Camargue. A self-taught photographer who began learning in 1950, he gained significant recognition through his friendship with Pablo Picasso, whose studio he visited frequently. Clergue is celebrated for his mastery of black and white photography, often capturing themes of nature, nudity, and taurine culture. He was a key figure in the development of the Rencontres de la photographie d'Arles (now Rencontres internationales de la photographie) and served as its artistic director. In 2006, he became the first photographer to be elected as a member of the Académie des beaux-arts at the Institut de France.[1,2,3]
