A selection of Werner Bischof's restored early color images.
Swiss photographer Werner Bischof (1916-54) is best known for his
impressive black-and-white images. Far too little is known of Bischof's
early color photographs, comprising studio work in fashion and
advertising photography as well as reportage from war-damaged European
cities. For these, Bischof used various types of cameras, including a
Devin Tricolor, an elaborate one-shot color separation device. Some 200
of Bischof's Devin Tricolor negatives have been restored and a selection
of them published in this book for the first time.
The beautifully illustrated volume is fascinating not only from a
photo-historical perspective; even these early color images reveal
Bischof's outstanding, sensitive aesthetic that characterizes his entire
oeuvre. Over one hundred color plates are supplemented with texts by
Clara Bouveresse, Peter Pfrunder, and Luc Debraine.