"AMERICAN LEGENDS" par Yousuf KARSH. Editions Bulfinch Press, Boston-Toronto-Londres. 1992. Imprimé en Suisse. Edition originale. in-4, couverture toilée bleue sous jaquette photo. 160 pages. Texte en anglais illustré de nombreuses reproductions photographiques, 44 en noir & blanc et 44 en couleurs, pleine page, par Yousuf Karsh.

 

"During my photographic odyssey spanning more than half a century, my life has been enriched by many remarkable men and women, who have inspired me with their artistry and dedication. When my portrait of Winston Churchill was published in 1941, it marked the beginning of my worldwide travels and my encounters with those fascinating personalities Who have shaped our era. The photographs in this book have been taken close to home… The definition of the word "legend" has evolved from its Latin origin of "reading together" into "a story, generally of a marvelous character." And these distinguished Americans, who had woven their own lives into a story of marvellous character, it would now be my challenging task to portray. Unlike my other books, for this American collection I did not have the luxury of choosing my subjects from portraits I had taken over a long period of time. For two intensive years, ending in 1991, I photographed most of these men and women whose gifts intellectual, artistic, spiritual - are continuing to enrich our national life. Some of them are household words, people with whom many of us grew up and who are part of our shared memory. Others, acknowledged as supreme masters in their own fields, have only recently been propelled into the public consciousness. Each has made a unique contribution to the spirit of America. Wherever possible, I tried to photograph each "legend" in his or her own environment…"

 

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