The relationship of actress Jane Birkin and musician Serge Gainsbourg captivated an entire generation. Jane’s brother Andrew Birkin documented the love story of the dream pair in photographs, some of which now appear in a book: ‘Jane & Serge. A Family Album’…
The British acting talent and the French singer-songwriter met in 1968 during the filming of ‘Slogan’. Both were facing a crisis in their lives: the French, chain-smoking enfant terrible had separated from Brigitte Bardot - or rather BB from him; and Jane Birkin had been left by the father of her babies and James Bond theme composer John Barry. But, as fate would have it, the two fell in love and became the dream couple of their generation.
Love story
From the beginning of the famous liaison of Birkin and Gainsbourg, to its end in 1980, Jane’s brother Andrew Birkin was regularly present with his camera and hence the book ‘Jane & Serge. A Family Album’, now published by Taschen, is unrivalled as an illustrated chronology of a love affair. The 176 pages are an invitation to travel through time, following the story of the beautiful young woman and the unshaven man with the ever-present Gitanes.
Photos: Andrew Birkin / Taschen
The book ‘Jane & Serge. A Family Album’ is available for 39,99 euros from good bookshops or the Taschen web shop.
