Item Detail

Assembling some of the most striking images from the famous photographer, this homage to List shows the post-war ruins of Munich and other powerful themes, through the eyes of a great artist.

Max Scheler, himself a skilled photographer, maintains the Herbert List estate.

German-born photographer Herbert List (1903-75) defined his work through a clarity of artistic vision and dedication to technical excellence. List began making photographs in his late teens and continued in earnest until his sixties, when he turned his attention to his collection of 16th- to 18th-century drawings. This impressively thorough monograph, the first representative survey of his photographs to be published, gives the reader a deep introduction to List's body of work. The book is divided into sections on still lifes, formal compositions, and surrealist experiments; portraits; architectural images of Greece and postwar Germany; street shots and photo essays; and List's iconic and sculptural images of the male body (an early precedent to Mapplethorpe, among others). Each section opens with a wonderfully informative essay by the likes of Edmund White, Bruce Weber, or Wilfried Wiegand. Also included is writing by List on photography and detailed end matter. List's aesthetic was informed by his time, but his sensitive, monumental, and tonally rich images continue to serve as fine examples of how great photography can be. This gorgeous and well-organized volume is highly recommended for photography sections in large public and academic libraries. Debora Miller, Minneapolis Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.