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In 1955, having just ended his high-profile but stormy career with Life magazine by resigning, W. Eugene Smith was commissioned to spend three weeks in Pittsburgh and produce one hundred photographs for noted journalist and author Stefan Lorant's book commemorating the city's bicentennial. Smith stayed a year, compiling nearly seventeen thousand photographs for what would be the most ambitious photographic essay of his life. But only a fragment of the work was ever seen, despite Smith's lifelong conviction that it was his greatest set of photographs. Now, in an astonishing, first-time assemblage of the core images Smith asserted were the "synthesis of the whole," we see not only a portrayal of Pittsburgh but of mid-century, postwar America."--BOOK JACKET.
The city of Pittsburgh, a symbol of mid-century American industrial might, becomes the subject of an ambitious photographic essay. Commissioned for the city's bicentennial, W. Eugene Smith, a renowned but volatile photographer, intended to capture the essence of Pittsburgh. Despite a planned three-week assignment, Smith remained for a year, producing nearly seventeen thousand photographs. This collection focuses on the core images Smith himself considered the synthesis of his monumental work, offering a profound look at the city and postwar America.
This collection presents W. Eugene Smith's deeply personal and extensive photographic study of Pittsburgh, a project he considered his greatest work. The assemblage focuses on the images Smith himself deemed essential, offering a unique perspective on the city and the broader context of mid-century America. The book provides a rare glimpse into the ambitious scope of Smith's vision, which extended far beyond the initial commission. It stands as a significant testament to his artistic dedication and his ability to capture the soul of a place and its people.
Page Count:
176
Publication Date:
2001-01-01
ISBN-10:
0393044084
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