" Fotografie: Nudi Paesaggi: Von Gloeden ", Curated By Italo Zannier, As New/Rare
Item History & Price
Fotografie: Nudi Paesaggi | Scene di GenereThe Photography of Wilhelm von Gloeden A Curated Collection of Photographs by Italo Zannier Published by Alinari, Firenze, Italy, 2008 INTRODUCTION The young German Wilhelm von Gloeden, barely twenty-two, arrived in Taormina in 1878 after a brief stop in Naples. He immediately became involved in photography; this new medium had fascinated him since his stepfather had given him a camera. This book features a collec...tion of the pictures he took of the mythical landscapes around Vesuvius and Etna: the volcanoes on one side and the sea on the other, and, of course, the sun of the south. Also featured are many of his pastoral nude studies of Sicilian boys, which usually featured props such as wreaths or amphorae suggesting a setting in the Greece or Italy of antiquity. From a modern standpoint, his work stands out due to his controlled use of lighting as well as the elegant poses of his models. ABOUT THE ARTIST Baron Wilhelm von Gloeden (September 16, 1856 – February 16, 1931) was a German photographer who worked mainly in Italy. He is mostly known for his pastoral nude studies of Sicilian boys, which usually featured props such as wreaths or amphoras suggesting a setting in the Greece or Italy of antiquity. From a modern standpoint, his work is commendable due to his controlled use of lighting as well as the often-elegant poses of his models. His innovations include the use of photographic filters and special body makeup (a mixture of milk, olive oil, and glycerin) to disguise skin blemishes. In 1930, Gloeden ceased work as a photographer and sold his house on the Piazza San Domenico in Taormina in return for an annuity and residence rights ABOUT THE IMAGES The majority of Gloeden's pictures were made before the First World War, in the years from 1890 to 1910. During the war, he had to leave Italy. After returning in 1918, he photographed very little but continued to make new prints from his voluminous archives. In total, he took over 3, 000 images (and possibly up to 7, 000), which after his death were left to one of his models, Pancrazio Buciuni, (also spelled Bucini; his dates sometimes given as c. 1864 – c. 1951 but probably should be 1879–1963), known as Il Moro (or U Moru) for his North African looks. Il Moro had been Gloeden's lover since the age of 14, when he had first joined his household. In 1933, some 1, 000 glass negatives from Gloeden's collection (inherited by Buciuni) and 2, 000 prints were confiscated by Benito Mussolini’s Fascist police under the allegation that they constituted pornography and were destroyed; another 1, 000 negatives were destroyed in 1936, although Buciuni was tried and cleared at a court in Messina (1939–41) of disseminating pornographic images. Most of the surviving pictures (negatives and prints) are now in the Fratelli Alinari photographic archive in Florence (which in 1999 bought 878 glass negatives & 956 vintage prints formerly belonging to Buciuni to add to its existing collection of 106 prints) and further prints (which fetch hundreds of pounds at auction) are in private collections or held by public institutions such as the Civico Archivo Fotographico in Milan. SUMMARY This softcover volume contains a curated collection of photographs by Wilhelm von Gloeden, curated by Italo Zannier. The pictorial folding hard paper stock cover boards (no dust jacket, as issued) cover a collection of prints by Baron Wilhelm von Gloeden presented on 192 pages of thick white paper stock. The sepia-toned reproductions used throughout the book are incredible, being bright and focused allowing visuals in fine detail from the oversized original photographic plates. Clearly, a lot of effort went into the production of this fine title. This first edition issue has text in Italian and English. The softcover book measures 11½ x 9½ inches (29.21 by 24.13 cm) and is offered in AS NEW condition and is not pre-owned. There are no damage disclosures for this book. It has been carefully stored in a smoke-free, temperature and humidity-controlled environment since its acquisition in 2008, shortly after release by the Publisher Alinari (Art Stock Books, LLC). This is an uncommon book, especially in this condition. Shipping weight for this book is 2.9 pounds (1.32 kg). PAYMENT DETAILS Please use the calculator for shipping expenses to US addresses
International shipping is available >> Please contact me for a shipping quotation as the eBay calculator is not accurate I will only accept PayPal and payment MUST be received within two business days of the purchase, or the item will be re-listed unless other arrangements have been approved. I will ship by FedEx Ground service unless otherwise indicated. Please note that shipping to P.O. Boxes and addresses not listed in the USPS database/archive cannot be used in this auction. International purchases are welcome. Buyer is totally responsible for payment of any import taxes or duty/VAT associated with this purchase. Please do not ask me to undervalue this package as I would not do well in prison. UNDERSTAND that there is no warranty for international shipments once the package leaves the United States, hence the need for express service. As always, if you have any questions about this item, or this auction, please contact me BEFORE you purchase this item. All sales must be final given the shrinkwrap presentation, however, eBay rules apply to assure that this book has been correctly described and represented. Legitimacy is assured.
International shipping is available >> Please contact me for a shipping quotation as the eBay calculator is not accurate I will only accept PayPal and payment MUST be received within two business days of the purchase, or the item will be re-listed unless other arrangements have been approved. I will ship by FedEx Ground service unless otherwise indicated. Please note that shipping to P.O. Boxes and addresses not listed in the USPS database/archive cannot be used in this auction. International purchases are welcome. Buyer is totally responsible for payment of any import taxes or duty/VAT associated with this purchase. Please do not ask me to undervalue this package as I would not do well in prison. UNDERSTAND that there is no warranty for international shipments once the package leaves the United States, hence the need for express service. As always, if you have any questions about this item, or this auction, please contact me BEFORE you purchase this item. All sales must be final given the shrinkwrap presentation, however, eBay rules apply to assure that this book has been correctly described and represented. Legitimacy is assured.
