After Nature

Swiss photography in the 19th century

Editor Steidl Verlag, Göttingen
Author Martin Gasser, Sylvie Henguely, Peter Pfrunder, Agathe Frochot
Publication date 2022
Dimensions 23 x 29.3 cm
Number of pages 440 pages
ISBN 978-3-96999-045-2 (FR) + 978-3-95829-992-4 (DE)
Price CHF 88.- | Special price during the exhibition

This book, which provides a first overview of Swiss photography in the 19th century, highlights the extraordinary achievements of the pioneers, but also certain particularities induced by the society of the time, such as the use of photography for police purposes of the marked influence of tourism. It also explores the interactions between the different techniques of image reproduction practiced simultaneously, including painting and engraving. Based on extensive research, this publication presents a wealth of exceptional works from public and private collections, thus vividly evoking the aesthetic qualities and different uses of photography.

Edited by Martin Gasser and Sylvie Henguely, in collaboration with Peter Pfrunder.

With essays by: Agathe Frochot, Hans Rudolf Gabathuler, Martin Gasser, Sylvie Henguely, Olivier Lugon, Nora Mathys, Patrizia Munforte, René Perret, Sandra Maria Petrillo, Markus Schürpf and Ricabeth Steiger.

You may also like

Luc Delahaye

Published on the occasion of a major solo exhibition at Jeu de Paume, Paris, this book encompasses 25 years of the photographic œuvre of Luc Delahaye. Including all works Delahaye produced between 2001 and 2025, the book covers the decisive period in which he increasingly distanced himself from war ...
See detail →

Werner Bischof

Helvetica reveals Bischof's Swiss work, notably focusing on the extraordinary contact sheets he created between 1933 and 1945, unpublished until now. The selection of contact sheets and photographs was made from the photographer's archives. It allows us to understand his influences, his experimentat...
See detail →

Josef Koudelka. Ikonar

Ikonar is the nickname given to Josef Koudelka by a group of Roma he encountered on his travels. They refer to him as a "maker of icons" because they used his famous photographs of Roma communities as quasi-religious icons in their place of prayer. Koudelka being a globally respected "maker of photo...
See detail →