William Klein - William Klein - 1992
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Description from the seller
A rare art photography monograph, “William Klein”, published in 1992 (ISBN 91-971346-4-3) is an uncommon retrospective survey of the career of this legendary American-French street photographer, filmmaker, and Hasselblad Award winner. This specific copy holds outstanding association value and ultimate institutional appeal, featuring an authentic, handwritten inscription signed by William Klein himself to the prominent Czech art historian and photography curator Zdeněk Kirschner ("to Zdeněk Kirschner with best, William Klein"). Across 50 pages, the volume captures a powerful overview of Klein's revolutionary career, blending his gritty raw street photography (Kodak Plus-X Pan Film) with his iconic on-location fashion assignments shot with Leica and Pentax cameras.
The recipient of the inscription, Zdeněk Kirschner (1927–2021), was an eminent figure in post-war European art criticism and served for decades as the head curator of the photography collection at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague (UPM). Kirschner was instrumental in securing international acclaim for masters like Josef Sudek, František Drtikol, or Jaroslav Rössler, and as a highly respected historian, he maintained close personal and professional relationships with global giants of the medium, including William Klein. This direct, documented connection between the iconic American photographer and the leading European curator provides the volume with indisputable historical significance and a unique museum-tier provenance.
The entire volume is in overall very good and nicely preserved condition. The softcover paper wraps show only minimal signs of shelf wear along the edges with no heavy creases or corner folds, and the internal block remains sound, tightly bound, with text pages entirely clean and free from any foxing; the authentic presentation inscription and signature by William Klein, written in black marker directly on the front cover, is slightly smudged in places, yet it remains fully legible and untouched in its composition, as documented in detail on the attached photograph.
Seller's Story
I strive to find and offer you the most interesting items from Prague’s antiquarian bookstores and second-hand shops: autographs, rarities, photographs, bibliophilia, old prints, posters, maps, catalogs, high-quality or sold-out books, as well as fine art.
Prague has always been a meeting point of cultures and languages. Especially during the 20th century, Czechoslovakia was visited by numerous world-renowned artists, writers, scientists, and other notable figures who left their mark here and established connections with local culture or institutions. So the selection here will be rich in provenance — including German, French, English, Russian, or, for example, Italian.
However, I will also aim to highlight more or less well-known Czech artists and noteworthy items — of interest to collectors and art lovers, especially those passionate about autographs, fine art, and related fields.
A rare art photography monograph, “William Klein”, published in 1992 (ISBN 91-971346-4-3) is an uncommon retrospective survey of the career of this legendary American-French street photographer, filmmaker, and Hasselblad Award winner. This specific copy holds outstanding association value and ultimate institutional appeal, featuring an authentic, handwritten inscription signed by William Klein himself to the prominent Czech art historian and photography curator Zdeněk Kirschner ("to Zdeněk Kirschner with best, William Klein"). Across 50 pages, the volume captures a powerful overview of Klein's revolutionary career, blending his gritty raw street photography (Kodak Plus-X Pan Film) with his iconic on-location fashion assignments shot with Leica and Pentax cameras.
The recipient of the inscription, Zdeněk Kirschner (1927–2021), was an eminent figure in post-war European art criticism and served for decades as the head curator of the photography collection at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague (UPM). Kirschner was instrumental in securing international acclaim for masters like Josef Sudek, František Drtikol, or Jaroslav Rössler, and as a highly respected historian, he maintained close personal and professional relationships with global giants of the medium, including William Klein. This direct, documented connection between the iconic American photographer and the leading European curator provides the volume with indisputable historical significance and a unique museum-tier provenance.
The entire volume is in overall very good and nicely preserved condition. The softcover paper wraps show only minimal signs of shelf wear along the edges with no heavy creases or corner folds, and the internal block remains sound, tightly bound, with text pages entirely clean and free from any foxing; the authentic presentation inscription and signature by William Klein, written in black marker directly on the front cover, is slightly smudged in places, yet it remains fully legible and untouched in its composition, as documented in detail on the attached photograph.
Seller's Story
I strive to find and offer you the most interesting items from Prague’s antiquarian bookstores and second-hand shops: autographs, rarities, photographs, bibliophilia, old prints, posters, maps, catalogs, high-quality or sold-out books, as well as fine art.
Prague has always been a meeting point of cultures and languages. Especially during the 20th century, Czechoslovakia was visited by numerous world-renowned artists, writers, scientists, and other notable figures who left their mark here and established connections with local culture or institutions. So the selection here will be rich in provenance — including German, French, English, Russian, or, for example, Italian.
However, I will also aim to highlight more or less well-known Czech artists and noteworthy items — of interest to collectors and art lovers, especially those passionate about autographs, fine art, and related fields.
Details
Number of books
1
Subject
Photography
Book title
William Klein
Author/ Illustrator
William Klein
Condition
Very good
Publication year oldest item
1992
Height
31 cm
Edition
1st Edition
Width
24.5 cm
Language
English
Original language
Yes
Publisher
Books Nippan?
Binding/ Material
Softback
Extras
Inscribed by author, Signed, Signed by author
Number of pages
52
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