Much against my better judgement I took some people yesterday to Montmartre, which must rank just behind the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame for tourism appeal.

The Place du Tertre just behind it was a haunt for the Picassos and Modiglianis of this world a century ago for the simple reason that it was cheap. Of more immediate interest (to me, at least) is that this is where Eugène Atget would sell his plates to artists.

Today the square is a breeding ground for cartoonists. Perhaps the 21st century Modigliani is there as we speak...

I've often wondered who wants a cartoon of him/herself. This image was my attempt to find out.

I love scrutinizing folk too... playing "snoopy" can be so much fun. I like the inquisitive smile of the youngster to the left hand side... However the lady being transfered to the canvas has a flat face ... an emptiness is present. I wonder how the artist will apply his charcoal. I hope she's bowled over, I guess he'll do his best to show her to advantage. A great area for the hidden paw and his camera. marilynx · 2011-11-20: 13:35

Great photo although the umbrella easel coming out of the boy's head spoils it slightly, only joking it is perfect. I actually think these are portraits from what little I can see and not cartoons. The artist is a woman isn't she? A lot of cities in Italy have these artist , Florence especially is teaming with them. MoMac · 2011-11-20: 16:13

ça dépend si la caricature te représente avec un gros nez rouge, ou des oreilles de "lapins"! Montrer la face "cachée " à une personne, revient à lui montrer la réalité vrai ! Bon ,je dis n'importe quoi! J'aime bien cette photo! Elle est trés représentative en noir et blanc! tikine3gogours · 2011-11-20: 16:20

Don't think I have ever seen the place so quiet... must be the recession thing. Street photography seems inevitably associated with black and white - I wonder why that is. I think the lack of colour helps remove extraneous distractions but is there something more, other than an association with tradition? davids · 2011-11-21: 08:22

Beautiful photo. Clickpen · 2011-11-21: 09:47

I think monochrome for street photography seems to keep with it an air of anonymity, and for this I believe street photographers continue to use it in their work. Of course a well composed stark B&W can also arouse some of the most intimate of all details and emotions. I think this image does both very well. mikro · 2011-11-21: 10:16

Que de beaux souvenirs d'un séjour à Paris datant déjà de quelques années (2008)! :-)Belle photo! micheleroy56 · 2011-11-21: 11:04

J'aime d'autant plus que c'est là que j'ai usé mes premiers fonds de culotte. nicephore34 · 2011-12-18: 09:48

Tagged: paris