Paris. Portrait of a City

by Jean-Claude Gautrand (Editor)

A lens on the city of lights: A photographic tribute to a capital of romance Described by Goethe as universal city where every step upon a bridge or a square recalls a great past, where a fragment of history is unrolled at the corner of every street, Paris is as rich in its two millennia of history as it is in its beauty, its romance, and its art.It was on the banks of the Seine that Niepce and Daguerre officially gave birth to the new art of photography, and in this evocative tapestry of images, Paris: Portrait of a Cityleads us through the city sphotographic, as well as its cultural, architectural and civic history. Now in a popular Reader s Edition, the book features some500 pictures, bringing together past and present, the monumental and the everyday, faces and vistas. Images captured by the most illustrious photographers Daguerre, Marville, Atget, Lartigue, Brassai, Kertesz, Ronis, Doisneau, Cartier-Bresson, sit alongside unknown photographers whose work somehow bottles a little of that Parisian air, in all its sensuality, its poetry and its light. About the Series: Bibliotheca Universalis Compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe at an unbeatable, democratic price!Since we started our work as cultural archaeologists in 1980, the name TASCHEN has become synonymous with accessible, open-minded publishing.Bibliotheca Universalisbrings together nearly 100 of our all-time favorite titles in a neat new format so you can curate your own affordable library of art, anthropology, and aphrodisia.Bookworm s delight never bore, always excite! Text in English, French, and German "

Genres: Photography, Travel, Nonfiction, France, History, Art, Fashion

431 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2011

Reviews

[Yujiao Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realized my understanding of my favourite city was very superficial at best. This book is itself an exhibition that showcases the history of Paris through the lens of the cameras or the lens of different viewpoints. Readers can travel through time and space, and to appreciate this city a little more in depth. I loved the twilight blue color of the title on the cover and the bookmark, constantly reminding me of those blue rooftops of Parisian apartments.

[Markéta Pečenková · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nádherná vizuální procházka historií Paříže.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally I'm not too much into books on cities but I couldn't resist the cover motif. Inside you'll get the best impression imaginable of that fascinating town. Its streets, building, how the Eiffel Tower was erected, its artists, Christos work, Lagerfeld, the Moulin Rouge... incredible portrait of a world famous town from past to present to today. Great photos and what a long history. Can highly recommend to visit this city and have a look at that volume!

[Maxine Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this book at Pottery Barn for about $75. In the few moments I flipped through it I knew I had to own it. I then found it online elsewhere for $30. It has 100+ years of rare and magnificent photos of life and architecture of Paris through two centuries of photography. Written next to 100s and 100s of photos in French, English and German,are detailed descriptions of what your seeing. A great book for any who love Paris and want to see more of it. It’s a keeper.

[Alexandra Freire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este es el tercer libro de fotografías que "leo", y la verdad aunque me gustó en su gran mayoría, siento que no llegué a emocionarme como en los otros dos. Las imágenes recogían a famosos fotógrafos quienes capturaron a París en sus diversas épocas, donde la cultura se diversificaba cada vez más y las personas y los lugares se iban adaptando a los cambios que marcaban cada fecha. Me parece muy lindo el detalle de colocar frases de libros o poemas que hablaran de París, y las imágenes todas hermosísimas. Pero lo que no me convenció del todo fueron las imágenes a colores, hubiese preferido que las hubieran dejado en B/N, creo que así transmitían más para mí. Estoy deseando degustar la vista con más libros de fotografías :D