LUCIEN HERVÉ: Building Images

Los Angeles: The Getty Research Institute, 2004. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. The first edition in English, translated from the French by Sharon Grevet. Lucien Hervé (1910-2007), one of the great architectural photographers of the twentieth century, collaborated with Le Corbusier from 1949 until the renowned architect died in 1965. Hervé approached his subjects seeking not only to document the buildings he was commissioned to photograph but also, especially, to convey a sense of space, texture, and structure. Through light and shadow, Hervé defined the dialogue between substance and form. By delineating a strong contrast between light and shadow (truncated) as well as placing emphasis on building details, the photographer was able to communicate the depth of a room, the surface of a wall, or the strength of a building's framework. For too long, Hervé the master of architectural photography has eclipsed Hervé the photographer whose career began as early as 1938 and whose subject matter varied widely. Featuring more than one hundred of his photographs in every genre, this book celebrates Hervé's work as an artist, creating images that serve not simply as records but stand as works of a singular imagination. Quarto. Original black cloth binding, with gray titles. A fine copy in a fine dust jacket. (Inventory #: 76618)