Photographe de Paris by Eugene Atget, First Edition

Photographe de Paris by Eugene Atget

First Edition, First Printing, 1930

Includes Captions Booklet

This is a rare first edition, first printing of Atget’s iconic photobook “Photographe de Paris” published by E.Weyhe, New York in 1930. The book was also published simultaneously by Verlag Henri Jonquières, Paris and Leipzig, in 1930 with the German edition, “Lichtbilder” released in a limited edition of 1000. Berenice Abbott purchased the contents of Atget’s studio in Paris--1,300 glass negatives and 7,000 prints assembled in albums--following his death in 1927. She brought the collection to New York with the backing of Julian Levy. Together, they introduced Atget’s work to the American public in a series of exhibitions and publications. The book features a frontispiece portrait of Atget by Berenice Abbott and 96 stunning full-page collotypes from the original Atget negatives. Pierre Mac-Orlan contributed an essay to the book and his essay concludes, “For many among us Atget’s Paris is now no more than a memory whose delicacy is already mysterious. It is worth all the books written on the subject, and without doubt will inspire others” In his book, “The Book of 101 Books: Seminal Photographic Books of the Twentieth Century”, Andrew Roth states, “Over time, Atget’s photographs have come to be seen by many as the beginning of modern photography.”

Measuring approximately 11” x 9.5”, the book is bound in the original burgundy colored cloth boards issued without a dust jacket. Included with the book is a captions booklet printed in a six-page gathering fold under plain leaf at the rear pastedown. The condition of the book is Very Good+ with some light rubbing to the cover, spine, and tips as well as some very slight soiling. The internals are excellent with a solid binding. There is a previous owner’s inscription on the first free endpaper which evidences foxing along with the front inside cover. There is also some age toning to the page edges that does not affect the images. Overall, this is a highly collectible copy of one of the greatest photobooks ever published.

Cited in “The Book of 101 Books: Seminal Photographic Books of the Twentieth Century”

Photographs of the front and back of the books cover, the first free endpaper with inscription and foxing, as well as photographs contained in the book (that show age toning to the edges) appear below. Please note that although the photographs appear digitized as thumbnails, they are viewable in the photo viewer by running your mouse over the thumbnail. You can also click on the thumbnail to open a separate window where the picture is viewable in a slideshow.