Richard Avedon: Photographs 1946–2004 Hardcover – December 15, 2007

According to photographer Anthony Snowdon, a viewer, when looking at a picture, should not be able to tell who the photographer was. That may be true about his own photographs; he was wrong, however, when it comes to the work of Richard Avedon. Many of his photographs are instantly recognizable as uniquely his or the shots of someone imitating him. Mr. Avedon gave the world the portrait where the subject, often powerful and famous-- although that is not the case in his series "In The American West" when he shot unknowns-- is photographed looking straight into the camera without flattering lighting or camera angles before a white background. These models rarely smile although Janis Joplin and Willem de Kooning are two exceptions.This latest collection of approximately 200 of Avedon's photographs is the catalogue that accompanies a traveling exhibit of the master photographer, which began at Denmark's Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and will close in San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art. It must have been a difficult assignment to select the images that are reproduced (so beautifully) here. Many of Avedon's most famous photographs are included although there were some that I had never seen before and some I missed seeing. (For example, I would have included the magnificent shot of Tina Turner that usually fills a museum wall when it is exhibited.) The one color photograph by Avedon here is the famous or infamous, depending on your point of view, of Nastssja Kinski and the Serpent (1981). Several fashion shots are included. My favorites are the two of the model Dovima-- with the elephants in 1955 and in front of the pyramids in Eqypt in 1951.The photograph of Peter Orlovsky and Allen Ginsberg, naked and embracing, that was-- I believe-- the cover for an issue of "Evergreen" magazine in 1963 made the cut, as did Andy Warhol and members of the Factory (1969). Some of my favorites, although I cannot always say why, are the shot of Bob Dylan taken in 1963 where he looks to be about 13, (I think it is the tilt of his head that intrigues me) W. H. Auden standing in the snow in New York in 1960 and The Generals of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Photography doesn't get better than that shot.Avedon always said that he just photographed the surface and that the viewer only gets whatever the photographer sees in a brief moment of time. He contended also that the photograph usually tells you more about the photographer than the subject. On the other hand, the writer Albert Camus said that we are all responsible for our faces after the age of forty. Some of these portraits cry out with Camus' message. I would nominate the image of Truman Capote (1974). The word "dissipated" comes to mind immediately. Contrast the Capote photograph with, say, those of the Dalai Lama and Salman Rushdie, from whom a sense of peace emanates. It is poetic justice that the artist Francis Bacon's own face takes on the grotesque shape of many of the faces in his paintings. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor (1957), looking into Avedon's lens, would make you believe that the rest of the Royals were right about them, that they were dreadful people.Accompanying this great photography collection are essays by several writers and art and photography critics assessing Mr. Avedon's contribution to 20th century photography including Helle Crenzien, Geoff Dyer, Judith Thurman, Michael Juul Holm, Rune Gade, Jeffrey Fraenkel and Christoph Ribbat. If you do not read all the essays, do not miss Geoff Dyer's discussion on what has become Avedon's signature, the portraits where the models are in front of a stark white background where the people who posed for him, if not known to the public before they sat for him, were famous thereafter. The people included in In the American West series-- drifters, waitresses, coal miners, truckers-- are every bit as engaging as those of the rich and famous and are now just as immortal.

Very happy with this purchase. I almost didn’t buy because I read two reviews mentioning a printing error on the iconic Nastassja Kinski photo (with the serpent) but my edition is perfect through and through. Have long loved Richard Avedon and am so happy to have this book here!

If you don't already know the work of Richard Avedon this is the book to show you the genius of his work. His early commercial fashion photographs are a great entry into the creativity of fashion photographs of the late forties and fifties. Without the directions taken by photographers like Avedon the livliness and exuberance of fashion photography of the sixties and seventies could not have happened.His portraiture has also been very significant. The stark, stripped down images he presents us with provide a direct line to the character of his sitters. The two 'In Cold Blood' portraits are both disturbing and illuminating. The 'simplicity of his portraits mask the work of a master technician, someone in complete control of his medium.A great book.Peter B

Avedon was so talented and creative. He shows sides of famous, and not famous people, usually not seen. For example, his portrait of Marylin Monroe shows how she was just an immature young woman...a young girl...not a confident beautiful movie star.

Despite my copy having a rather large chunk of printer plate debris on the iconic Nastassja Kinski and the Serpent color poster image on P.23, I found this book, otherwise, superbly printed. A worthy companion to the Whitney Museum's, Richard Avedon: Evidence 1944-1994.

This is a good retrospective of Avedon and his work, spanning the entirety of his career. Its not a big book (<200 pages or so) so not the kind of in-depth retrospective that he really deserves. That said, the printing and reproductions really are top notch and all of the images chosen are exceptional.

i bought it for a gift and my friend just loved it. the paste is strong, haha just buy it, you will no regret

Beautiful Book

De los mejores fotógrafos del mundo, es un imprescindible para cualquier amante del arte de la fotografía.La calidad de la edición es magnífica, ofrece toda una experiencia sensorial.Altamente recomendable.

Material fotográfico de alto nível com personagens que fizeram a história

Cette belle publication très bien éditée fait le tour de l'œuvre d'Avedon. Tant ses photos de mode iconiques, que ses portraits de célébrités, que ses portraits des gens simples et meurtris de l'ouest américain y figurent. Plusieurs textes permettent de porter un regard sur la vie et l'œuvre d'Avedon qui a marqué l'histoire de la photographie.

Bought as a gift for husband who was thrilled to bits with it. Found it very difficult to buy an affordable Richard Avedon book. This did not disappoint.

È arrivato perfettamente in orario e accuratamente imballato, era un regalo per la mia ragazza che fa la fotografa.Lo ha apprezzato moltissimo, quindi anche se io non ci capisco niente, vi dico che è un buon acquisto.