An American Century of Photography: From Dry-Plate to Digital

Begun in 1964 and currently one of the largest and highest quality corporate art collections, the Hallmark Photographic Collection is both the subject of this book and of a major exhibition that will be traveling through 1996. The advent of dry-plate photography in the mid-1880s marked the entrance of talented amateurs and professionals newly freed from the burdens of collodion wet-plate photography. From that point of departure, Davis follows the progression of aesthetic movements and outlines their changing social, artistic, and technological contexts, dividing the text and illustrations into four 25-year periods. Davis's text provides a particularly well-written and -researched survey, and the chapter bibliographies and lists of photographers (with bibliographies for each) make the book a useful reference as well. Although the focus is on American photographers working here and abroad, some European emigres are included (e.g., Andre Kertesz and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy), and next to the well-known some less-familiar names are given a place (e.g., Lillian Bassman, Lois Conner, Charles Moore). From naturalism to appropriated images and everything in between, all periods and styles are represented. The reproductions could not be finer. Recommended for history of photography and American studies collections.
Kathleen Collins, New York Transit Museum Archives, Brooklyn
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.