Anne Constance Frenoy

Anne Constance Frenoy (1890-1962) was a French photographer and photojournalist who is best known for her work documenting the lives of women in the early 20th century. Born in Paris, France, she was the daughter of a wealthy family and received an education in art and photography.

Frenoy began her career as a portrait photographer, taking pictures of prominent figures such as Coco Chanel and Jean Cocteau. She also worked as a fashion photographer for magazines such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. In the 1920s, she began to focus on documentary photography, traveling around Europe to capture images of everyday life. Her photographs often focused on women's roles in society, including their work in factories and fields.

In 1929, Frenoy published her first book of photographs titled Femmes de France (Women of France). The book featured over 200 images that showcased the diversity of French women's lives at the time. It was well-received by critics and helped to establish her reputation as an important documentarian of French culture.

Frenoy continued to take photographs throughout her life, but she also became involved in other activities such as writing books about photography and teaching classes at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. She died in 1962 at the age of 72 after a long illness. Her work has been exhibited widely throughout Europe and is held in many public collections including the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.