ARBUS (Diane). - Lot 14

ARBUS (Diane). Diane Arbus. Paris, Chêne, [circa 1973]. Large quarto, publisher’s binding with illustrated dust jacket, numerous heliogravure reproductions. The first major French monograph devoted to Diane Arbus (1923–1971), published shortly after her death and adapted from the American edition, which has become a classic in the history of photography. The book introduces the European public to the profoundly unique world of the artist who revolutionized photographic portraiture by turning her gaze toward the margins of American society. The volume brings together the artist’s most famous images: identical twins, children, carnival performers, drag queens, giants, ordinary families, and anonymous figures encountered on the streets of New York. Rejecting any idealization, Diane Arbus photographed with unprecedented directness those whom society often prefers to ignore, making each of her portraits an exploration of identity, difference, and normality. This volume is one of the seminal works in the European reception of her body of work and remains a standard reference for collectors of 20th-century photography. The reproductions, printed in large format on coated paper, faithfully reproduce the richness of the original prints. Condition: A good copy despite visible flaws on the photographs. The dust jacket shows wear, small tears, and scuffing on the flaps and corners; a few marginal foxing spots on the title page. The interior is very fresh and well-preserved.