CALI (François). - Lot 45

CALI (François). A Picturesque Dictionary of France. Grenoble: Arthaud, 1955. Large quarto, publisher’s beige cloth binding, title printed in green on the front cover. First edition of this remarkable work, conceived as a true poetic and photographic alphabetical guide to France, in which François Cali combines literary texts, quotations, folk songs, historical definitions, and photographs to offer a sensitive portrait of the French landscape. The illustrations, of exceptional quality, consist of numerous black-and-white photographic reproductions printed using heliogravure, depicting landscapes, villages, monuments, rural scenes, and regional traditions. The volume is part of Éditions Arthaud’s meticulous 1950s publications, which are particularly prized by enthusiasts of French photography. The book is as much a travelogue as it is a work of humanistic photography, in which the text engages in a constant dialogue with the images. Condition: a fine copy. The hardcover is slightly soiled with subtle signs of wear. The interior is fresh and well-preserved.