Fishing beyond the cliché: our photos from the 100% net and trawler exhibition at the Musée de la Marine

Sea fishing and its collective imaginary from literature deconstructed by the reality of photography... From May 14 to August 17, 2025, the Musée national de la Marine in Paris invites you to discover its new exhibition, entitled La pêche au-delà du cliché, inédits de la collection. This exhibition is part of a double photographic presentation, revealing previously unseen images from the museum's collection, but above all exploring the perception of fishing communities and the sea from the 19th to the early 21st century.

This exhibition is part of a visual dialogue with another photo exhibition, Jean Gaumy and the Sea. The two complementary approaches offer a surprising vision of the lives of seafarers. In the case of"La pêche au-delà du cliché", nearly 70 items (out of the 130 exhibited) from the museum's archives are shown for the first time, revealing scenes of everyday maritime life, between traditions and contemporary realities.

The aim of this double exhibition is to provide a unique visual record of the changing relationship between men and the sea. Through these photographs, the public is invited to discover intimate moments in the lives of fishermen, shedding light on how these communities have been perceived through the prism of the lens, from the mid-19th century to the present day.

• To be read
• Musée national de la Marine in Paris: an art venue for learning and travelling at the Trocadero
• Jean Gaumy and the Sea: our photos of the intimate maritime exhibition at the Musée de la Marine
• Must-see photo exhibitions in Paris and the Ile-de-France region at the moment

An exhibition we were able to see in advance of its opening... Although quite small, it is nonetheless very interesting, and reveals what fishing was really like between the 19th and 20th centuries, beyond the clichés conveyed by literature and cinema. It's a real, almost anthropological dive into a world that is well known today, but which, before the advent of today's documentation technologies, gave rise to a certain fantasy about travel and its exoticism.

The exhibition focuses on the many and varied ways in which the fishing profession can be viewed, from economic necessity to extraordinary adventure, but just as difficult and demanding, rooted in reality. A look at sea fishing that also invites visitors to reflect and question what characterizes fishing photography, through framing, lighting, composition and choice of subject. A good introduction before discovering the major exhibition of the moment, based on Jean Gaumy's photographs. A must-see!

An opportunity for history and photography buffs to take a closer look at this little-known heritage. Shall we drop by the Musée National de la Marine, folks?