Bruce Weber

No review really needed, November 18, 2005
By mkb (new york, new york USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bruce Weber (Hardcover)
Following Bruce Weber's seminal first two books (untitled 1st book) and O Rio, this 3rd monograph perhaps lacked the more coherent thematic structure of it's predecessors. However by the mid 80's Bruce Weber had become so prolific and successful that a few books followed that captured some of his diversity, sublime eye and effortless style. The sheeer beauty and quality of Bruce Weber's work spoke for itself (as in all his books). To quibble with stars is absurd and misses the point. However the only general reservation with this book was the use of a double jacket - both a paper one with a male torso and a semi-opaque thick tracing-paper (variously described as vellum, mylar etc...). Most variations in condition and price of this book seem to depend on the wear of the outer jacket. The semi-opaque cover quickly became brittle and chips, tears and creases easily. Originally colorless, the outer cover easily became discolored with a sepia cast if overexposed to light and mild enviromental pollution (cigarette smoke etc...). Already a pretty rare book with a limited print run, within a few years a pristine outer jacket copy had a healthy premium. Some 20 years later, a true mint copy is incredibly rare and is treated almost like copies of flawed stamps from a single mistaken sheet. However, the inner paper jacket held up well and the interior - the beautiful heavy matte paper, excellent printing and incredible photography makes this book essential for those interested in fashion and photography.



About This Book, September 12, 2007
By ModernRare (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bruce Weber (Hardcover)


The photographer's breakthrough debut collection. Now considered a late-modern erotic photography classic. Limited Edition of 5000 copies. The true first. Precedes and should not be confused with the Second Edition, it is one of the photographer's most scarce titles. An elegant production by John Cheim: Oversize-volume format. A tall and thick book. Rich black silk cloth boards with titles embossed on cover and spine, as issued. Photographs by Bruce Weber. There is no text. List of Plates and Acknowledgments appended at the end. Printed in gravure on thick uncoated stock paper in Kyoto, Japan to the very highest standards. In pictorial DJ, which features the celebrated reverse negative image of a man's naked back, as issued. Presents Bruce Weber's very first retrospective collection in book form. The most commercially successful American photographer of his generation, Bruce Weber has gone from strength to strength and is the prototypical "branded" photographer. Hence it is not surprising that at least four of his books are simply called "Bruce Weber". Showcases his much-praised and much-copied style of idealized beauty, especially of the male face and body, in a way that has not really been surpassed, even by Bruce Weber himself. Weber has simply continued to hone, refine, and evolve the look that is now instantly, recognizably, and memorably his. He found his look with this book: Sensuous, seductive, and unbearably sexy in its effect, achieved in a clean, natural, and immaculate style. The photographs are divided into eight sections: "Brothers", "Matt Dillon" (a series of photographs that show the then-very-young actor's chiseled good looks), "Notebook", "Lifeguards", "Clammers", "Hall of Fame", "Jeff", and "On Leave in Waikiki". Fans and collectors of "The Chop Suey Club" will be delighted to see the first inspiration/muse of the photographer, the athlete-turned-fashion model Jeff Aquilon, one of the most strikingly handsome men who has ever been photographed. The "Jeff" suite is one of the finest and most tenderly loving collections of male nude photographs ever done by Bruce Weber or any other photographer. The reproductions are of the highest quality: Sheet-fed photogravure with halftone colors of blue, red, and brown added to some of the photographs to create a nostalgic and evocative effect that makes this one of Bruce Weber's most satisfying productions. A spectacular debut. A "must-have" title for Bruce Weber collectors. This title has been out-of-print for a very long time. 87 sheetfed gravure and halftone plates. Bruce Weber's "O Rio de Janeiro", the sexiest photography book ever published, was selected as one of the "Seminal Photography Books" in the "Book of 101 Books". © 2007 http://www.modernrare.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Bruce-Weber/dp/0821218883/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236864376&sr=8-15

http://www.bruceweber.com/