STEICHEN (Edward), ed. - Lot 274

STEICHEN (Edward), ed. The Family of Man. Prologue by Carl Sandburg. New York, The Museum of Modern Art / Maco Magazine Corporation, 1955. Large quarto, paperback with illustrated dust jacket and flaps. First edition of the catalog for the most famous photography exhibition of the 20th century, conceived by Edward Steichen for the Museum of Modern Art in New York. First presented in 1955, *The Family of Man* brings together 503 photographs by 273 photographers from 68 countries, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Robert Capa, August Sander, Bill Brandt, Dorothea Lange, W. Eugene Smith, Brassai, Ernst Haas, Werner Bischof, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Yousuf Karsh, and Ansel Adams. A true postwar humanist manifesto, the exhibition aimed to showcase, beyond political, religious, or cultural boundaries, the universality of the human experience: birth, childhood, love, work, war, suffering, old age, and death. Its immense success—more than nine million visitors during its world tour—made it the most-visited photography exhibition in history and a pivotal milestone in the recognition of photography as a major art form. The catalog reproduces all of the selected works in a particularly innovative layout, conceived as an extension of the exhibition design envisioned by Steichen. Today, it is an essential volume for any library dedicated to the history of photography. Condition: Copy in good overall condition. Cover shows some scuffing, a few stains, and slight wear on the headband and spine; interior is fresh, complete, and well-preserved.