Photography

[Photographs] Vautier, B

B. Vautier Album [title] Gallerie Moderner Meister [caption at the plates]

Verlag von Franz Hanfstaengl in München / New York Geo. Kirchner & Co. [1889] Oblong folio. 33 x 49 cm. Title + 12 mounted photographs depicting original paintings by B. Vautier.

Portfolio in red cloth, elaborately decorated in black, gold and silver. Title in gilt at the front board. Three flaps. Spine of the portfolio torn and damaged. Boards slightly soiled. Corners bumped. Flaps and back paste down with some foxing. Title page with brakes in the corners and a little browning. One card board with a brake in a corner. Light foxing in the margins of the plates. Title labels foxed.

The photographs are mounted on printed card boards, with pasted title labels. Books containing reproductions of art work in photography was very popular in the second half of the 19th. century, eventhough it was only possible to make black and white photos. Photography made it possible for the first time to exactly reproduce art and distribute it among a great number of people. But these kind of books soon became obsolete when fine colour reproductions became available. They have not been valued in the 20th. century. Most copies have been thrown away, which means that these importatant documents on early photo reproduction of art are scarce today. Benjamin Vautier was a Swiss Düsseldorf style painter specialising in peasant life in Switzerland and southern Germany.

Item No: 88