U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: Off topic, photo history text question

Re: Off topic, photo history text question



On Sun, 2 Nov 2008, Bogdan Karasek wrote:
Judy Seigel wrote:

Another wonderful book (maybe the school will pay for it?) is referred to as "the Frizot" -- it's "A New History of Photgraphy" edited by Michel Frizot... if you could believe, a FRENCHMAN! English edition: 1998.

A FRENCHMAN!

Why does that fact merit being yelled out? Is there something odd about this?

Regards,
Bogdan

Oh Bogdan, of COURSE it's odd -- and I was celebrating that fact !! Firstly, the only only other photo history by a French person known in this country is (if it is by a Frenchman, not an English historian) is titled something like "French Primitive Photography."

Secondly, the photographers mentioned by folks commenting were AFAIK
PHOTOGRAPHERS not historians. Although as I recall ( I was there, of course), Daguerre, for instance, did leave written instructions for his process (we are given to understand), he did not as far as I know write a history of photography current in the 21st century.

Thirdly through 80thly -- did you ever hear of irony? That's I-R-O-N-Y?

4thly, although I daresay there are French photo-historians famous in France, in English-speaking countries, Gernsheim and Newhall (plus a couple of Americans whose names escape me now & I'm not going to go upstairs to check) reign. The Frizot made a bit of a splash in its *English* edition, which I was remarking on, since you incite me to spell out the obvious.

And 5thly, who the H. cares?

J.