Paris: Portrait of a City [Hardcover]

Jean-Claude Gautrand (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2012

The vivid history of the capital of love and photography

A city built on two millennia of history, Paris is entering the third century of its love story with photography. It was on the banks of the Seine that Niepce and Daguerre officially gave birth to this new art that has flourished ever since, developing a distinctive language and becoming a vital tool of knowledge.

Paris, Portrait of a City leads us through what Goethe described as “universal city where every step upon a bridge or a square recalls a great past, where a fragment of history is unrolled at the corner of every street.” This history is recounted in photographs, all the way from Daguerre’s incunabula to the most recent images. In fact, Paris can claim to be the only city in the world whose archives house an almost complete record of over a century and a half of transformations. This huge panorama of nearly 600 pages and as many photographs makes Paris, Portrait of a City unique. This book brings together the past and the present, the monumental and the everyday, objects and people. Thanks to images captured by the most illustrious photographers – Daguerre, Marville, Atget, Lartigue, Brassaï, Kertész, Ronis, Doisneau, Cartier-Bresson and many more – but also by many unknown amateurs, these pages show the essential workings of a human drama acted out on the stage of history. These visions attempt to bottle just a little of that “Parisian air”, something of that particular poetry given out by the stones and inhabitants of a constantly changing city that has inspired untold numbers of writers and artists over the ages.

Presenting an exciting patchwork of images from past and present, Paris, Portrait of a City is a huge and unique photographic study that, in a way, is the true family album of all Parisians. It is to them, and to all lovers of this capital city, that this vibrant, loving and tender testimony is dedicated.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The editor and author:
Jean Claude Gautrand (b. 1932) is one of France's most distinguished experts on photography. An active photographer since 1960, he has also made a name for himself as a journalist and critic, with numerous publications. He is the author of the TASCHEN books on Doisneau (2003), Brassaï (2004) and Ronis (2005).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 572 pages
• Publisher: Taschen; Mul edition (March 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3836502933
• ISBN-13: 978-3836502931
• Product Dimensions: 13.4 x 1.8 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,172 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #37 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Architectural

• Due to this item's unusual size or weight, it requires special handling and will ship separately from other items in your order. Read More

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful photos. Crass cover choice. January 26, 2013

By Greg Ward

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

What were they thinking? Here we have an extraordinary collection of stunning Paris images. When it was time to choose a cover shot, the publishers must have been spoilt for choice. So why did they pick an obscure image dominated by a naked woman? They seem more interested in breast than Brassai. Their soft-core cover screams Playboy, not Paris. And frankly it's embarrassing to have on show in the home.

So thanks guys. The photos inside are stunning. I would have liked to share this collection with my children. But your crass, lurid marketing has put a hold on that.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent June 30, 2012

By Arch Stanton

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Not sure why a book would receive a downgraded review because of shipping issues, exactly. Mine arrived in pristine shape, cheaper and smarter than dragging it home on a flight from their Paris shop. All the great photographers and iconic images are represented here. Easily the best of their "Portrait of a City" books, although perhaps I am just partial to the City of Light. Easily worth 5 times the price.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent collection July 9, 2012

By Celeste

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a magnificent collection of photos of all aspects of Paris life from the earliest days of photography to today. Thank you, Amazon, for making this masterpiece available at so reasonable a price.