He was 99 years old. Ronis was regarded as a quiet, sometimes ironic observer of his fellow men. He often photographed in Paris.
But he also roamed the province to show bowlers, near Marseille, or a satisfied winery in the Gironde. Ronis was among a group of documentary photographers Robert Doisneau (1912-1994) and Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004), who coined the concept of a "Humanist Photography". On his 84th birthday he portraits himself still suspended on a parachute.
In 2000, in focus gallery, Cologne dedicated to Ronis - for his 90th birthday - , the first major retrospective exhibition in Germany and a complementary exhibition in 2002. As of 2004, followed in Germany, various exhibitions at museums including the Suermondt Ludwig Museum (with loans from the in focus gallery) in Aachen. To this show, the first German illustrated book was published by Prestel publisher and 2005 by Taschen publisher. In focus gallery has about 30 works by Ronis in the stock.
photo: courtesy in focus gallery, Willy Ronis, les adieux, Paris 1963