GRINDAT (Henriette). - Lot 123

GRINDAT (Henriette). Algeria. Preface and texts by Jean Amrouche. Lausanne, La Guilde du Livre, 1956. Large quarto, publisher’s hardcover with original photographic dust jacket and Rhodoid slipcase. First edition of one of the most beautiful books by Swiss photographer Henriette Grindat (1923–1986), produced following several trips to Algeria, which was still a French colony at the time. With a preface by Jean Amrouche, the book offers a deeply poetic and humanistic vision of the country, far removed from documentary reportage or conventional exoticism. The photographs, characterized by a remarkable mastery of light and contrast, capture everything from the landscapes of the Sahara to the villages of the Mzab, the oases, traditional architecture, and the anonymous figures encountered along the journey. Grindat’s highly personal aesthetic, which draws on humanist sensibilities and at times takes on a surrealist quality, lends this album a timeless quality. The quality of the photogravure, characteristic of La Guilde du Livre’s publications, renders the shades of gray and textural effects with great finesse. Considered one of the photographer’s major works, this book also serves as a valuable record of Algeria in the years leading up to independence. Condition: a complete copy with its illustrated dust jacket and original Rhodoid slipcase, the latter showing some normal creases from use; interior in very fresh condition.