Signed Bettina Rheims - Animal [UNIQUE SIGNED COPY IN THE WEB ] - 1994

Signed copy on the title page by Bettina Rheims (born 1952), unique and unavailable on the internet in a signed copy. 130 pages and 57 black-and-white photographs printed full-bleed on recto only, French text by Serge Bramly. Brown cloth binding with a mounted photograph on the cover. In excellent condition, practically like new.

The Animal series gathers black-and-white portraits of taxidermied animals from the Deyrolle house in Paris, the famous cabinet of curiosities. This artistic work explores the representation and the theatre of frozen nature. Simple, in black and white, with a total economy of staging, the aesthetic treatment is reduced to a minimum. You don’t see the same thing anymore: the animal attitudes have been frozen twice, fixed: once by the taxidermist, once by the photographer." (Michel Onfray).

An internationally renowned photographer, Bettina Rheims stands out in most of her works for her elaborate staging that reveals her pursuit of perfection and her interest in narrative and disturbance. For several decades she has undertaken commissions: campaigns for fashion and advertising, portraits of celebrities (Charlotte Rampling, Catherine Deneuve, Madonna, Monica Bellucci…), and she collaborates with international magazines. At the same time, she develops a personal body of work that questions contemporary society. Her series are the fruit of carefully thought-out projects, sometimes including a very substantial production. The photographic book occupies an important place in Bettina Rheims’ oeuvre because it constitutes the final rendering of each series, thus representing a true narrative and layout endeavor. Bettina Rheims’ work is present in numerous public collections in France and abroad. Her work has been exhibited in renowned contemporary art museums. Her 2016 retrospective at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris welcomed more than 60,000 visitors.

A book from my personal collection kept with the greatest care, in excellent condition with only minimal wear to the jacket (see photo). Shipment protected with reinforced packaging and insured international tracked mail. In case of multiple purchases, possibility of grouped shipping with reimbursement of overpaid postage fees via Paypal.

0.950 kg. excluding packaging