In 1938 Hélène Roger-Viollet and her husband Jean-Victor Fischer, both photography enthusiasts and frequent travelers, founded on rue de Seine the “Documentation Photographique Générale Roger-Viollet”, today one of the oldest French agencies. Having bought the shop of the “image merchant” Laurent Ollivier and the collections that it housed, Hélène Roger-Viollet and her husband added the family production to it, which they would enrich after the war through a continuous effort of acquisitions. This is how they constitute a photographic collection that is unique in Europe, covering more than a century and a half of Parisian, French and international history, around four main themes: major historical events, Paris, portraits of personalities and reproductions of works of art. The Roger-Viollet collections also offer an astonishing walk through the history of photography, from the production of the photographic workshops of the Second Empire to photojournalism at the end of the 20th century. Discover our archive photographs from the Roger Viollet agency. Discover photos of the Eiffel Tower, old photos of Paris but also fashion photos from the Roaring Twenties . The Roger Viollet collection is sold in a limited edition. Buying a Roger Viollet photograph is like offering yourself a part of Parisian history, or a part of the history of French photography. Roger Viollet agency photos are vintage photos of Paris or other cities in France, in black and white, printed in museum quality. Buying a Roger Viollet photo means choosing between different formats (from 30x20 cm to 150x100 cm) and finishes (single print, framed print (wood or aluminum) or laminated print on aluminum). Our vintage or contemporary photos are always sold in limited edition.