COLOMB (Denise). - Lot 72

COLOMB (Denise). Denise Colomb. Texts by Noël Bourcier, Jean-Luc Mercié, Anne de Mondenard, and Patrick Roegiers. Lyon: Éditions La Manufacture, Donations Collection, Ministry of Culture / French Association for the Promotion of Photographic Heritage, 1992. Large quarto, paperback, illustrated cover. First edition of this beautiful volume published to mark the addition of Denise Colomb’s archives to the national collections, offering a comprehensive retrospective of her entire body of work. While Denise Colomb (1902–2004) remains famous for her portraits of the great artistic figures of the 20th century—Picasso, Giacometti, Chagall, Braque, Calder, Miró, Vieira da Silva, Nicolas de Staël, among others—this book also highlights other aspects of her work: photo essays from the West Indies, India, Israel, and the Middle East; views of Paris; scenes of daily life; formal explorations; and experimental photographic works. Taken as a whole, the collection allows readers to appreciate the diversity of a body of work that has long been reduced to her portraits alone. Richly illustrated with full-page reproductions, this volume is now one of the best introductions to the work of Denise Colomb. Included is: a handwritten, autographed card signed by Roland and Édith Flak, conveying their best wishes: “With our best wishes for the New Year. Roland and Édith Flak.” Roland Flak was one of Denise Colomb’s close collaborators and played a key role in promoting her work. Condition: very good copy.