THEATRE DU TEMPS: ROME 1999-2003

Arles, France: Actes Sud, 2003. First Edition. First Printing.. Hardcover. As New/No Dust Jacket, As Issued.. Arles, France: Actes Sud, 2003. Hardcover. As New/None, As Issued. First Edition/First Printing. 56 pages. Retrospective collection of panoramic photographs. One of Josef Koudelka's most beautiful books. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a slipcased hardcover original only. None of the copies was commercially sold in the United States. The First Edition is now scarce. An austerely elegant production by Josef Koudelka and Giovanni Lussu: Oversize-volume format. Pristine-white hard boards with black titles on the cover and spine, as issued. Panoramic photographs by Josef Koudelka. Each panorama is reproduced as a doublespread in "Leporello"-accordion format. The original text in Italian by Erri De Luca and Diego Mormorio translated into French by Marguerite Pozzoli. Printed on pristine-white, very thick varnished stock paper by Prostamp Sud, Santa Palomba, Rome to the highest standards. The reproduction quality is outstanding in every respect. Matching white cardboard slipcase with black titles on one side. In publisher's plastic wrapper-bag. Without DJ, as issued. Published on the occasion of the exhibition of the same name held at the International Festival Rome in 2003. Presents Josef Koudelka's "Theatre du Temps: Rome 1999-2003". Photography at its most sublime, beyond speech and discourse: The Theater of Life according to the great Magnum photographer. "For years now, Koudelka has been working with a panoramic camera, putting out stunning images that find their way into books of limited availability. Contains twenty-five images, gorgeously printed, of work made in Rome over the past three years" (Publisher's blurb) . An absolute "must-have" title for Josef Koudelka collectors. This copy is very prominently and beautifully signed and dated (shortly after publication) in black ink-pen on the title page by the photographer: "Josef Koudelka 13/11/03". It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. This title is a great art photography book. This is one of few such signed and post-publication dated copies of the First Slipcased Hardcover Edition/First Printing still available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: None of the copies was commercially sold in the United States. This copy was buried in storage by a dedicated French collector for more than fifteen years (as of 2019) , and has no discernible flaws. A rare signed copy thus. 25 doublespread plates. Three of Josef Koudelka's books were selected as among the greatest photography books in "The Photobook". The greatest Czech photographer of our time. A fine collectible copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER JOSEF KOUDELKA TITLES IN OUR CATALOG). ISBN 2742744355.