Gunner

Gérard Rancinan

football Henry portrait Rancinan

Un mot sur l'oeuvre

GRAN004
Thierry Henry posing on the stairs of Highbury, Arsenal’s old stadium.
Before the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, L’Equipe magazine commissioned Gérard Rancinan to produce a series of portraits of French players who were World Champions in 1998, European Champions in 2000 and who had been selected to play again. Fourteen of them had lifted both trophies as well as being short-listed to defend their title. The feature was produced between autumn 2001 and the first months of 2002.
Thierry Henry was one of them.
At the time he was in his third season with Arsenal. He built his reputation there, and would be with them for eight seasons in total, becoming an icon. He is the highest goal scorer in the history of the club and a statue of him has pride of place in front of the new Emirates stadium.

Le témoignage de Gérard Rancinan

This was the first time I met the champion and I really appreciated his intelligence and his human side. He already knew some of my photos, and not just the ones of the other players from the series or my other portraits of sporting champions, and showed genuine interest in my work. He even come to visit my studio later on. He is interested in everything and it was a great encounter for me.
Often, though not all the time sadly, when you take someone’s portrait you get to spend real time with them. There’s an intensity about it and it’s an adventure. I felt that with him.
We’d agreed to meet at Highbury and everything I needed was there. The setting tells the story of this historic place.

Le choix de Jean-Denis

It will always be one of the great images of Thierry Henry, who really made his mark in the club’s history. That’s reason enough.