Synopses & Reviews
A revised edition of the award-winning publication accompanying the first major retrospective.
The work of Lillian Bassman (19172012) exudes a captivating elegance and a sure sense of style. As long-standing art director for Harper's Bazaar, she shaped the style of fashion photography of the 1940s to 1960s. By experimenting with various photographic exposures and darkroom techniques, she lent her black and white photographs a unique, almost painterly quality.
The urge to experiment also hallmarks the work of her husband Paul Himmel (19142009), who worked for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and many other magazines during the course of his career.
Synopsis
A revised edition of the only comprehensive publication on the work of the great American fashion photographer couple
About the Author
Lillian Bassman, born 1917 in Brooklyn, NY, died 2012 in New York City.
1945 Art Director for Junior Bazaar giving projects to photographers Richard Avedon, Robert Frank, and Paul Himmel. 1947 Art Director at Harpers Bazaar. Bassman soon was in constant demand and, in addition to her editorial work shot campaigns for Chanel and Balenciaga. Recently Bassman has been enjoying a resurgence at fashions forefront, with exhibitions at museums and galleries worldwide.
Paul Himmel, born 1914 in New Haven, Connecticut, died 2009 in New York City. 1947 Starts his first fashion shootings for Harpers Bazaar under the
patronage of Bassman and also works for Vogue. Soon he is one of the few photographers working for both magazines. 1969 Himmel gives up working as a photographer and more than 25 years he works as a psychotherapist.
Ingo Taubhorn is photographer and curator, works at the museum Haus der Photographie at Deichtorhallen Hamburg, Germany. Has curated important exhibitions like Nobuyoshi Araki, Saul Leiter. Many publications on photography.
Brigitte Woischnik is owner of the agency Foto Factory in Munich, Germany. She has co-curated important photo exhibitions like Lillian Bassman and Paul Himmel and Saul Leiter for the Museum Deichtorhallen Hamburg, Germany.