1210 - Photography

Photography Klein, Wilhelm Moscow. Foreword by Helmut Heißenbüttel. Hamburg: Nannen, 1965. 4°. 184 pp. With 169 heliogravure plates. Original cloth binding with dust jacket. (“Die Zeit” Books). With a handwritten dedication by Wilhelm Klein. - Heidtmann 18278. Cf. Auer 436. Koetzle 232 ff. The Open Book 204 ff. Roth, The Book of 101 Books 140 ff. (all referring to the original American edition of 1964). - First German edition of the third volume in William Klein’s legendary city tetralogy—following New York (1956) and Rome (1959), preceding Tokyo (1964)—and one of the most influential photo books of the postwar era. The original American edition was published in 1964 by Crown Publishers in New York; the German edition followed in 1965 as part of the “Die Zeit” book series by Nannen in Hamburg, featuring a specially written foreword by the writer and essayist Helmut Heißenbüttel. Klein documents Moscow at the height of the Cold War in his unmistakable, raw black-and-white style—blurry wide-angle shots, extreme contrasts, and a dynamic, almost cinematic montage of images that critics at the time compared to the rhythm of jazz. The photo book is divided into four chapters—Moscow Citizens, Privileged Classes, Parks and Palaces, and Streets—which Klein condenses into a self-contained “graphic scenario” in which each individual photograph functions like a film still within a sequence. The work is considered a classic of street photography, photojournalism, and vintage photo books of the 1960s and documents Moscow and the Soviet Union (USSR) at the height of the Cold War. Klein’s unmistakable, radical visual style —wide-angle lenses, motion blur, harsh contrasts, collaged double-page spreads, and cinematic, dynamic image montage—had a lasting impact on modern black-and-white photography and documentary photography and influenced generations of photographic artists, Magnum photographers, and photojournalists. Good copy. With 169 gravure plates. Original cloth binding with dust jacket. (“Die Zeit” books). — With a handwritten note by Wilhelm Klein. - Heidtmann 18278. Cf. Auer 436. Koetzle 232 f. The Open Book 204 f. Roth, The Book of 101 Books 140 ff. (all referring to the American original edition of 1964). - German first edition of the third volume in William Klein’s legendary city tetralogy—following *New York* (1956) and *Rome* (1959), and preceding *Tokyo* (1964)—and one of the most influential photobooks of the postwar era. The original American edition was published in 1964 by Crown Publishers in New York; the German version followed in 1965 as part of the “Die Zeit” book series, published by Nannen in Hamburg, with a foreword written specifically for this edition by the writer and essayist Helmut Heißenbüttel. Klein documents Moscow at the height of the Cold War in his unmistakable, raw black-and-white style—jarring wide-angle shots, extreme contrasts, and a dynamic, almost cinematic montage of images that critics of the time compared to the rhythm of jazz. The volume is divided into four chapters—Moscow’s citizens, the privileged classes, parks and palaces, and streets—which Klein condenses into a distinctive “graphic scenario,” in which each individual photograph functions like a frame within a cinematic sequence. The work is regarded as a classic of street photography, documentary reportage, and the vintage photobooks of the 1960s, and it documents Moscow and the Soviet Union (USSR) at the height of the Cold War. Klein’s unmistakable, radical visual style—wide-angle distortion, motion blur, harsh contrasts, collaged double-page spreads, and cinematic, dynamic image montage—left a lasting mark on modern black-and-white photography and documentary photography, and influenced generations of photographic artists, Magnum photographers, and photojournalists. Fine condition. This lot is subject to standard taxation. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (Books and Art) or 19% VAT (Manuscripts, Screenprints, Offset Prints, Photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union. This work is subject to the standard tax regime. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books and art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints, and photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union.