Signed, Eikoh Hosoe - Killed by Roses - 1963

Killed by Roses

Signert, Eikoh Hosoe
Shueisha/1963/japanese/290*440*30/Missing Box

*Killed by Roses* (First Edition, Signed), a collection of works by Eikoh Hosoe, one of Japan’s leading photographers. Since the publication of its first edition in 1963, this masterpiece—which has been reprinted many times while evolving in design—has left an indelible mark on the history of photography. It is a poetic collection of erotic and fantastical images that even its subject, Yukio Mishima, described as “the sorcery of photography.” The images, which depict the body as an object through a wide variety of stage sets and experimental expressions, brought about a transformation and opened new horizons not only for Japanese photography—which had previously been heavily influenced by journalistic elements—but also for photography worldwide. The fact that this single collection has expressed diverse worldviews and breadth through collaborations with designers who have left their mark on design history—Kohei Sugiura for the 1963 first edition, Tadanori Yokoo for the 1971 edition, and Kiyoshi Awazu for the 1984 edition—makes it exceptionally rare and significant. This book is the first edition, unified by Kohei Sugiura’s “So Black” imagery. Limited to 1,500 copies.