The Return of 'American Photographs'

By Kenneth Tanaka

American Photographs by Walker Evans has just been reissued by the original publisher for the first time in a quarter century. The new reissue is the 75th Anniversary Edition. Here are the links:

American Photographs by Walker Evans at Amazon.com (U.S.)
...at Amazon U.K.
...at The Book Depository (worldwide)

Ask any in-the-know photo history enthusiast to name a seminal American photo book and chances are s/he will immediately cite The Americans by Robert Frank. Yes, that storied 1958 book is a good choice. But there is an even more seminal book.

In 1938, 20 years before Robert Frank's The Americans, New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) held its second* one-man photographic show, titled American Photographs. The show, basically a 100-print, 10-year retrospective of the 35-year-old Walker Evans, was accompanied by a book (not a catalog) that has since become arguably the most important photo book in the history of the medium in this country. In fact Robert Frank has often cited Walker Evans as being a significant influence in his work**.

You could be excused for not knowing American Photographs. Although it has been previously reprinted twice since its first edition, it never garnered the wide publicity or the following that Robert Frank's The Americans attracted. It was not the controversial body of work that The Americans was, nor is it as starkly provocative. These are quiet, almost deadpan images that often require study and consideration to appreciate. If many of Frank's images seem like frames clipped from a movie, Evans' images are like a long stare. The longer you look the more you see (not exclusively with your eyes, either).

A page from American Photographs (top) compared to one from The Americans.

American Photographs features one of the most austere designs you'll encounter in a photo book. Taking readers on a rather lyrical tour of America and Americans during the Great Depression, its 87 large format, captionless black-and-white images are presented one per page with the image on the recto faced by a blank numbered page on the verso. Captions for images are listed separately at the end of each of the book's two sections. Evans wanted readers to view the images serially, and without the "distraction" of supplemental information.

Reproductions in the new edition are absolutely gorgeous.

It's interesting to note the strong design similarity between The Americans and American Photographs—more evidence of Robert Frank's admiration of Evans?

How does this newest edition compare to the original? Coincidentally, several days before this edition began shipping (unbeknownst to me), I was involved in reviewing some of the 200+ Evans prints we have at the Art Institute of Chicago, and spent much of the day with one of the Museum's first editions of American Photographs. So my memory of the first edition is quite clear as I write that this new edition is absolutely gorgeous compared to the original. The basic design is quite faithful to the first edition. But the 87 rich duotones of the new edition make the original edition's look like pencil sketches. The crisp type of the new book is also an enormous improvement over the lumpy type of 1938's book. This is actually a most powerful testament to the remarkable advancements that the graphic arts industry has made in 75 years. Of course if you're an antiquarian you will probably continue to lust after a $1,200–$1,500+*** fine/near-fine copy of the first edition. But if you want the book that Evans and MoMA could only have dreamed of producing in 1938, you'll want this newest edition.

If you think you do not like Walker Evans' work, that's cool, but buy this book right now anyway, particularly if you're a young (<40) and devoted photo enthusiast. It's a no-lose proposition. MoMA has priced this 75th anniversary edition at a very reasonable $35 list ($23.10 on Amazon). It will most certainly sell out before long and soon be accessible only on the secondary market for far higher prices. If you continue to pursue photography there's a good chance that you will eventually grow to appreciate much of the work in this book. But even if you don't you will certainly be able to resell the book at a handsome profit. Win-win.

Ken

American Photographs by Walker Evans at Amazon.com (U.S.)
...at Amazon U.K.
...at The Book Depository (worldwide)

UPDATE: As of late Tuesday, Amazon.com is saying 1–3 weeks for delivery, which means they're awaiting new stock from the publisher. But also, they've reduced the price to $21. —Ed.

*American Photographs was originally declared as MoMA's first one-man photographic show. But Sarah Hermanson Meister notes at the back of this 75th anniversary edition that it was actually the second such show. The first was a 1933 show of architectural photographs...also by Evans.

**For example, the 1958 U.S. Camera annual features a tribute to Frank’s Guggenheim grant work (which would, later that year, be first published in the U.S. as The Americans) by Evans. It also features a statement by Frank in which he notes: "The work of two contemporary photographers, Bill Brandt of England and the American, Walker Evans have influenced me. When I first looked at Walker Evans' photographs, I thought of something Malraux write: 'To transform destiny into awareness.'"

***Or more. —MJ.

Note (from Ken): For those interested in the relationship and parallels between Evans and Frank, Todd Papageorge presents an excellent comparative essay in Core Curriculum: Writings on Photography. Aperture Foundation, 2011, pp. 64–74. The essay, and the whole book of Papgeorge's essays and talks, is well worth the read!

Featured Comment by Jeff: "The original cost of the 1938 first edition (as marked on my excellent copy) was $2.50. At the long term average U.S. inflation rate of 3.43%, that equates to just over $30 today. So the Amazon price is a real bargain. :-)"

Featured Comment by James: "Another reason to get this book: as Kirstein rightly points out in the accompanying essay, these photographs have to be seen together, in a series. I'd seen single Walker Evans pictures reproduced here and there, and I confess they weren't doing much for me. It wasn't a matter of general photographic taste. Given what I like (Adams, Shore, Gossage, Graham...), I expected to like Evans too. My copy of this new edition arrived a few days ago (nice to be ahead of the TOP curve!), and although it's still early days, I can already see what I was missing. It was the whole: the patience, logic, contrast, accumulation, development. The steady, thoughtful, unfolding. Obvious, really."

Question from cb: "How do the duotones in the new issue compare to original prints? I want to perceive the original look not some oversharpened digital forgery."

Ken Tanaka replies: Although I am not an Evans scholar or expert, I have seen enough Evans prints (of our 200+ prints at the AIC) to offer an opinion. In brief, the book's plates look as good and often better than the prints I've seen. Note that Evans was not a printer. His work has been printed by various people for various purposes over the years, each imposing a degree of interpretation on the images. As such, some sets of prints by a particular printer might be favored over those by another. (Not at all unlike, for example, Henri Cartier-Bresson prints.) Among the most important reasons to get, or at least see, American Photographs is to get a visual benchmark of Evans' own intentions. For example, the Art Institute of Chicago has three prints of the iconic "Sidewalk and Shopfront, New Orleans, 1935" (Section 1 plate 5), each probably printed by a different person and each with slightly different crops. [Compare this to this, for example  —Ed.] The plate in the book represents the way in which Evans himself wanted to present the image.

Comments

[Del]

I had missed this book somehow along the way, and it seems like it will be exciting to view/read. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I'm also anxious to read the piece on the comparison between Evans and Frank. Much obliged!

[Jeff Johnston]

So happy to hear this!

[Ed Hawco]

It should be noted that "The Americans" was first published in France (as "Les Americains") and that Robert Frank is Swiss.

However, it still qualifies as a "seminal American photography book" due to its subject matter, and because it was created while on an American Guggenheim grant. Also, the intention was to publish it in the U.S. first, but it was considered too radical. When the French edition was well received, perceptions in the U.S. changed and it was published there, minus the significant amount of text that the French edition had.

[Marino Mannarini]

Got mine! Mike, i was really missing your periodic books recommendations!

[Thanks Marino, but note that this is Ken's post, not mine. --Mike]

[Matt Weber]

There is also a slim book published in 1981 by Papageorge called:

Walker Evans and Robert Frank: An Essay on Influence

The book has nice comparisons of Evans and Frank's photos, side by side. There are copies available for as low as $75

The new typeface may be superb and the printing sublime, but there is something about the gravure printing which was used in the original editions of both photographer's books, which I think is untouchable.
The Grove press edition from '59 is still the best version of The Americans to look at, and Steidl has all of the worlds technology at his disposal. I have several copies of the 1938 edition of American Photographs and will hold off judgement till I see the new version in person...

[Steve Jacob]

Great to see this in print in such high quality (and for such a good price). I have placed an order. I have seen a lot of his work over the years and he is up there among the early pioneers. Lots to learn from looking at his work.

Since you mentioned Bill Brandt, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London acquired many of his photographs and have a permanent biographical exhibition which delves into his philosophy and methods.

I really love one of his quotes:

'Photography is not a sport. It has no rules. Everything must be dared and tried.'

If only people would take that to heart and stop trying to constrain photography within their own comfort zone.

[Hugh Crawford]

It's a real bargin compared to Sherrie Levine !

[Ken]

Had not been aware of this book but I am a sucker for high-quality street photography from decades past. Ordered this, along with books by Vivian Maier and Ara Guler that I had my eye on for some time. I expect to have hours of enjoyment out of these purchases.

[Kenneth Tanaka]

@ Matt Weber: "There is also a slim book published in 1981 by Papageorge called:

Walker Evans and Robert Frank: An Essay on Influence"

Same essay in the Aperture book, sans comparative photos, at a fraction of the cost. The book you noted is actually a catalog for a 1981 exhibit (by the same name) at Yale. Papageorge wrote the essay for that exhibit and catalog.

[ycl]

Just bought one! I've been waiting for a new reprint for awhile.

I passed on the recent "Books on Books" / Errata Editions version of American Photographs, since their stuff always looks like just a photocopy of the original (and originates in a photobook-collecting fetishism that I do not share). And the pictures are usually too small as well.

But does anyone have both, and thus can offer a comparison?

[Adam]

As a young (25 year old) photo-enthusiast I took Ken's advice and ordered a copy. Amazon is already saying a 1-3 week wait, so I purchased from The Book Depository. I'm really looking forward to it, I could stand to be more familiar with Walker Evans and it seems like a great addition to my meager book collection.

Adam

[Richard Tugwell]

Ordered one - why on earth not!

Frank's book is perhaps an outsider's view as a European and a Swiss, and so I always feel it should be contrasted, rather than compared with Evans.

Curious and totally irrelevant, but Evans married a Swiss girl - a fact many potted biographies seem to overlook

[Michael Roche]

Ordered from Bookdepository in the hope that the commission will help Mike buy the Nex 7 he's lusting after as I'd like to get his review on it.

Michael

[Sylvain G.]

Just ordered two, one for me, one to offer.

Thanks for the heads up,

Sylvain

[Shaun O'Boyle]

I picked up a not-so-fine copy of the first edition of American Photographs a few years ago for $100. I enjoy (carefully) leafing through the first edition, but it will be great to see the duotones in this edition.

[Jeff Donald]

Great article Ken!

Walkers Evans is one of the most significant (if not the most significant American photographer) photographers of the 20th Century. I stumbled onto your article this morning by accident as I was promoting TOP to a group of photographers I have coffee with every Tuesday morning.

Walker Evans had a huge influence on me as a young photographer and to this day, some of his iconic images are in my mind's eye on a daily basis. Thank you again.

[Tom Robbins]

Ordered mine this afternoon. My photography library has grown from your recommendations, Mike. It also has a couple volumes from Ken's recommendations from elsewhere. It is good to now have both sources of reliable information available at one location.

[toto]

I thought that last paragraph was speculative and irresponsible.

[Mike Johnston]

"I thought that last paragraph was speculative and irresponsible."

No. It might not be prescient in its particulars, but holistically what he's saying is that you won't be sorry to have this whether you decide to keep it or not, and whether you like it right away or not; and I think that's fair enough, on both counts.

The 50th Anniversary reissue was around for a number of years as MoMA gift store fodder, but since it went away it's become about a $100-150 book; not worth a fortune, but certainly more painful than $23.10 if you want/need to acquire one.

Like Ken, I really don't see a downside to adding this to your library if you have any desire to. It's like adding Beethoven's Fifth to your music collection...you may not love it, but it's still not out of place.

Mike

[David Lonsdale]

I first encountered Evans' work in the late lamented Creative Camera (Coo Press UK,mid-sixties onwards) where I learned to look into photographs more than the approach of my local camera club encouraged. I currently get my fix from Apertures' Masters of Photography volume of his work but I can't resist the thought of leafing through American Photographs on quiet evenings this autumn! It's ordered!

[hugh Crawford]

The Amazon price is $14 less than picking it up at MoMA in person with the members discount, so I suppose there is an arbitrage opportunity standing in front of MoMA selling them.

(or if you want to irresponsibly make your life interesting in some unpredictable way, make up some Sherrie Levine dust jackets for it and really clean up!)

[John MacKechnie]

The Amazon price is now $21.00 as of 4:40 PM EST.
I bought a copy for myself and my buddy and the earlier higher price.

Thanks for the tip, Mike.

John

[ann]

Parked Car, Small town main street is one of my favourite photos.

[Owin Thomas]

Ordered ... Thanks for the heads up.

[Kevin Purcell]

The Tod Papageorge essay Walker Evans and Robert Frank: An Essay on Influence is online here too.

http://ericetheridge.com/Papageorge_on_Evans_and_Frank.pdf

referenced in this blog entry

http://ericetheridge.com/wordblog/archives/2007/08/the_missing_cri.html/

And a slightly surrealistic apropros to this discussion: Sherwin Rivera Tibayan's The Histograms of Robert Frank's The Americans.

Make of it what you will (hint ... it drags left right like an iPhone)

http://sherwinriveratibayan.com/album/thehistograms?p=1&s=UA-21712236-1

If you are thinking WTF(!?!) then read this

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/06/04/the-histograms-a-diagnostic-take-on-robert-franks-the-americans/

[Winwalloe]

Ordered.

How can I resist?

[Walt]

Bought one through your link. Hope you get a few pennies out of the sale!

[Dave Karp]

Thanks Ken. I am going to order a copy right now.

[Phil Maus]

Got mine too. Great deal! This morning (9/5) on Amazon through TOP Links, the book cost $21. Wow!!! Thanks for the review and the tip Ken!

[Nigel]

Cool.
Can you let us know how many (collectively) we bought ?

[Mike Johnston]

"Can you let us know how many (collectively) we bought?"

Sure. Yesterday alone (i.e., I won't see today's orders until tomorrow), 631, of which something like 80 have been shipped (their stock probably sold out as they're now waiting for more copies from the publisher).

If you ask me at the end of the month I can give you the total for the month.

When my copy comes I can give you a rundown on the 75th anniversary edition compared to the 50th Anniversary edition.

Mike

[Bruce Rubenstein]

Kirk Tuck Blog:
Kenneth Tanaka
August 30, 2012 10:25 AM

"This is an excellent example of a competently-captured photograph that becomes lost without context... It's Exhibit A in the thesis that photographs, in fact, do not really tell stories in the absence of language or richer context. Eh?"

TOP:
By Kenneth Tanaka
"American Photographs features one of the most austere designs you'll encounter in a photo book. Taking readers on a rather lyrical tour of America and Americans during the Great Depression, its 87 large format, captionless black-and-white images are presented one per page with the image on the recto faced by a blank numbered page on the verso. Captions for images are listed separately at the end of each of the book's two sections."

OMG! I ordered this book and I don't know if I will be able to make any sense of it! I'll have to keep flipping back and forth between the pictures and the captions so I'll get the context.

For 58 years I knew how to enjoy looking at pictures, and now I'm just and old confused man.

[Jim Metzger]

Ordered yesterday, just arrived 2:20 pm EST. Worth the wait!

Seriously beautiful.

Jim

[Richard]

Thanks. Just ordered it and the HCB book you recommended recently.

[George Lanning]

Mike, I am one of those 631. Thanks for the posting

[David Graham]

Was on my front porch this afternoon. I can't afford too many extras, but this will be great. Thanks Kenneth for the heads up.

[Nigel]

"Sure."

Did I tell you how much I like this site ?

[Brian Reitenauer]

Thanks Mike and Ken. I ordered it mmediately yesterday morning through your link and specified standard shipping. Believe it or not, it was here when I got home from work today. The printing looks very very nice. Thanks for the recommendation.

Brian

[Tom Swoboda]

Twenty five years ago I spent a summer having my small town library ordering everything they could find on Walker Evans. Along with Gordon Parks they were my favorites from the FSA era.

Today I ordered the Walker book along with the Kertesz book I never got around to ordering last year.

[Michael Olson]

Ordered 5 copies.

One for myself, one for an aged uncle who grew up during the period represented, and 3 as an investment.

[Ade]

Thanks for the reminder, had this on my wishlist but the prompting at the end made me put it in my basket asap. I think the impact of Evans's work can be a slow burn; I remember not making much sense of this book on first acquaintance (still don't to some extent, I guess), but then I looked more closely at some of his individual shots over time and the extreme clarity of his vision hit me.

[Ralph Eisenberg]

Thanks once again Ken for pointing out a most interesting book that I'm definitely going to order.

[Nigel]

Just arrived.
It looks so good in its shrink wrap, I'm not sure I can bring myself to open it. May have to get another copy....

[Kelvin Skewes]

cb's question and Ken Tanaka's reply about the print quality of the book and the printing of Evan's pictures brought to mind various things.

Most strikingly is the memory of looking at an FSA era print of Evans' 'View of Morgantown, West Virginia'

It was small and much more dense with information than any 'oversharpened digital forgery' I have seen. Secondly that by my quick count over 60% of the photos in 'American Photographs' were taken under the auspices of the FSA which means that these photos are in the public domain and in most cases available at the Library of Congress.

This of course means that you can print your own renditions (aka digital forgeries) of Walker Evans FSA images much like Mike did six years ago with his Dothrea Lange Print Offer. In fact printing a suite of Walker Evans images is one of my current side projects and such a close study of his work is proving very instructive. Here is a picture of what I am up against :

Lastly a few years ago the New York Times had a short piece Walker Evans. Or Is It? about contemporary Walker Evans prints and the philosophical issues raised by them.

[D. Hufford.]

Apparently, it is now sold out all over the planet. Book Depository is out of stock, and even Amazon Japan has sold all of theirs a day after this was posted. If I ever publish a photo book, I know where I want it reviewed--assuming that it was a good review and not "Somebody needs to take the camera from this clown."

[Clay Olmstead]

Got mine today. Thanks so much for pointing this out. I would've surely missed it otherwise. To me this is what photography is all about: can I let this simple scene extract something more out of myself than the bare facts?

Sometimes, but never like this.

[Bill Mitchell]

Mine arrived today.
Compared with the 50th anniversary edition (both the hard-cover and paperback), the quality of the printing is virtually identical, with the newer one having slighty darker prints (more ink in an earlier printing?), so some of the images appear "better" and some "not." In both cases they are all superb.
The newer book is a little thicker than the older one, so I presume that heavier paper stock is used.
So, what the heck am I doing with three copies of this terrific volume? I've got to figure which two friends have already got their Christmas presents waiting.