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janice142
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"Capturing the essence of the flower -- its fragility, its freshness, its life -- is one of the photographer's greatest challenges and requires the sensitivity and creative imagination of an artist. And, indeed, the flower photographer is a direct descendant of the flower painter. Most of the world's finest photographers have taken up the challenge, and when they succeed, the results are among the highest of the camera's achievements.
In Flora Photograhica, photographic historian and curator William A. Ewing has brought together more than 180 works by over 100 photographers both to display their work as well as to trace the history of flower photography from the earliest experiments of William Henry Fox Talbot to the surprisingly lucid compositions of Robert Mapplethorpe. The range of techniques (daguerreotype, hand-painted tintypes, platinum, silver, and gum prints) is almost as wide as the aesthetic choices -- the botanical studies of Blossfeldt and Fuhrmann; the flamboyant arrangements of Roger Frenton and the Lumiere Breothers; the flower symbolism of Cameron, Beaton, and Kertesz; the breathtaking pictorialism of Cunningham, Sheeler, and Sougez. For flowers are not only beautiful in themselves, they are deeply emotive: they can be pure, decadent, erotic... even funny.
Every plate is reproduced to the highest standard, either in full-color or duotone, to appeal not only to the connisseur of photography by also to the flower-lover and horticulturist. Besides the illustrated introduction, which provides a definitive historical survey of the flower in photography, there are detailed notes on the plates giving background information on each photographer. Nothing comparable to Flora Photographica has been published. This is a book to give lasting pleasure through its union of nature, technical brilliance, and high art.
With more than 200 illustrations, including 56 color plates and 127 duotone plates."
The Fine Print: On the interior of the dust jacket there is evidence of a water spill. Doesn't appear to have effected the book, but there nonetheless. Also there is curling at the edge of the dj, along with shelfwear.
For the nitty gritty: The book contains a section of erotica (nudes) from long ago. It's amazing to look at the ladies from 1910, 1920, and even one of Marilyn Monroe wearing just two flowers.... That photo, taken by Bert Stern in 1962 is recognizable.
Many of them are not, and all are extraordinary. Truly, an awesome collection within the pages of this oversized hard-cover. Enjoy, and Buy!
224 pages.
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