Summit : Vittorio Sella : Mountaineer and Photographer : The Years 1879-1909
This book is a careful reproduction of some of the best black-and-white landscape photography ever collectedAthe work of Vittorio Sella. A courageous photographer and mountaineer, Sella climbed peaks on three continents to record stunning views at the top of the world; this book should make us grateful that he hauled heavy photography equipment on those ascents. The strength of this volume is its collection of images: tucked and rolling glaciers, unyielding mountains that seem to run in an infinite sequence from close to distant, and deep gaps full of the treachery of silence. The absolute clarity of the portraits demonstrates this climber's mastery of his medium. The images here look bold and contemporary: pure gatherings of white (snow), black (jagged peaks and ledges blocking sun), and various greys (clouds, shadows, and crevices). Ansel Adams's preface byAwhich he wrote as an appreciation in 1939Ajoins with reverent essays by other Sella admirers who know enough to stand aside while the photographs earn their own silent appreciation. Recommended for public and academic libraries.ADavid Bryant, New Canaan P.L., NJCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.