The connection between the three began nearly 40 years ago. Matussiere, who was working as a studio assistant under Muller, came to study with Tatsuki through an introduction from a Japanese painter living in Paris. At 21, Matussiere eagerly absorbed photography under his new mentor in Japan, a country with an unfamiliar language and culture, and honed his skills by accompanying them on frequent European shoots. Meanwhile, these activities naturally deepened the friendship between the two masters, old and new. Since then, the three have become close friends, discussing not only photography but also art and life over meals at bistros and cafes in Montparnasse.

A bride, head bowed under a strong sun, her expression unreadable. Pablo Picasso, casting a fleeting, natural gaze in a tense setting akin to a courtroom. Matussiere emphasizes what he learned from them: "From them, I learned not so much photographic techniques, but a photographic life. Anyone can learn about shutter speed and aperture. What's more important are things that can't be explained in words, like the gaze towards the subject and a certain sharpness of insight."

Through the photographs of these three artists, you may glimpse the philosophies and perspectives they shared.