The Eye of Ihei Kimura by Ihei Kimura, First Edition

The Eye of Ihei Kimura by Ihei Kimura

First Edition, First Printing, 1970

Includes Original Publisher’s Leaflet

This is a rare first edition, first printing of the highly regarded photobook “The Eye of Ihei Kimura” published by Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo in 1970. Ryuichi Kaneko and Ivan Vartanian in their reference work on Japanese Photobooks, “Japanese Photobooks of the 1960s and 70s” provide an excellent critique, “The Eye of Ihei Kimura stands as the first serious look at the photographer’s contribution to photographic expression in a postwar context, as acknowledged by contemporaneous photographers…This photobook, with its superlative printing, is the nearest we can come to understanding how Kimura’s work should be seen…After his death in 1975 the publisher of Asahi Camera named a prestigious award for new photography in his honor, thereby making him an undisputed icon in Japanese photography.”

Containing 196 black-and-white photographs printed in gravure, the book measures approximately 9.5” x 8.5” and is bound in a black illustrated wraps. Laid into the book is the publisher’s leaflet. The book is in Near FINE+ condition with some minor age toning to the edges and minor rubbing to the wrapper spine edges and tips. Overall, this is a highly collectible copy of a photobook that is becoming increasingly scarce.

Cited in the reference work on Japanese Photobooks, “Japanese Photobooks of the 1960s and 70s” by Ryuichi Kaneko and Ivan Vartanian.

Photographs of the front cover of the book as well as photographs from the book 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 pictures are viewable as a slideshow.