Men of mark

Collection History

This digital collection offers the portraits taken by American-born photographer Alvin Langdon Coburn (1882-1966) primarily in England, where he moved in 1904, and published in handsome editions in England and the United States. The volumes, portraying contemporary key figures from before World War I into the postwar era, carry on a tradition (and the “Men of Mark” title) begun at least a generation earlier.

Background

Coburn had a special affinity for seeing his work in printed form, having absorbed the credo of Alfred Stieglitz that a fine photogravure was the best expression of some images. He produced other titles of New York and London scenes; illustrated literature; and most ambitiously, collaborated with Henry James for the frontispieces of the author’s definitive collected works.

Related Resources

Bogardus, Ralph F. Pictures and texts: Henry James, A.L. Coburn, and new ways of seeing in literary culture (c1984) Studies in photography; no. 2.

Coburn, Alvin Langdon. Alvin Langdon Coburn, photographer: an autobiography; edited by Helmut and Alison Gernsheim (1978)

Collection Data

Description
Portraits taken by American-born photographer Alvin Langdon Coburn (1882-1966) primarily in England, where he moved in 1904, and published in handsome editions in England and the United States. The volumes, portraying contemporary key figures from before World War I, began a tradition (and the “Men of Mark” title) that continued into the next generation. Coburn had a special affinity for seeing his work in printed form, having absorbed the credo of Alfred Stieglitz that a fine photogravure was the best expression of some images. He produced other titles of New York and London scenes; illustrated literature; and most ambitiously, collaborated with Henry James for the frontispieces of the author’s definitive collected works.
Names
Coburn, Alvin Langdon, 1882-1966 (Photographer)
Ballantyne Press (Printer)
Dates / Origin
Date Issued: 1913
Place: London; New York
Publisher: Duckworth; M. Kennerley
Library locations
Rare Book Division
Shelf locator: *KW+ 78-387
Topics
Biography -- 20th century
Photography, Artistic
Authors
Artists
Genres
Photographs
Books
Portraits
Notes
Content: Each portrait with a facsimile of the pertinent signature.
Additional physical form: Also on film in: *ZM 155, Reel 36, no. 405.
Physical Description
Extent: 30 p. 33 mounted ports.(photogravures) 32 cm.
Photogravures
Type of Resource
Still image
Identifiers
NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b10588217
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 859ef0e0-c6d4-012f-9f33-3c075448cc4b
Show filters Hide filters
36 results found
Filtering on:
x Publisher: Duckworth; M. Kennerley