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Welcome to my Blog! Anybody, providing he knows how to be amusing, has the right to
talk about himself. -
Charles Baudelaire Not even I understand everything I am ¬Aurelius Augustinus of Hippo In 2013 I started a series of photo albums on Blurb.com, named '36Exp' (a subject adressed in 36 exposures, a reference to the exposures on most common rolls of 35 mm film: 12, 24 & 36.). |
DE MAGIE VAN HET BEELD by OEK DE JONG | IMAGES WATCHING ART ESSAYS
Oebele Klaas Anne (Oek) de Jong (b.Breda,04Oct1952-) is a Dutch writer. He studied art history at the University of Amsterdam. Tere followed followed a quieter period between 1985 and 1995, which De Jong called a 'dark time' in interviews. During this time he was, with Chris Rutenfrans and Yoeri Albrecht, among others, part of the 'Plato club' around the writer Andreas Burnier. 'De Magie van het Beeld' (EN=The Magic of the Image) was published by WBooks in 2021 and is a compilation of some 40 essays (text and image) he previously had published in 'Museumtijdschrift' over a period of 9 years. NL.wikipedia.org:_Oek_de_Jong [31MAR2022]
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WALKER EVANS | PHOTOGRAPHY ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHER
Walker Evans (b.03Nov1903 – d.10Apr1975) did more to expand the art and language of documentary photography than any other photographer, influencing generations of image-makers; he's often mentioned in the book reviewed below, on Diane Arbus. Compared to my personal interest in photography subjects I applaud his enduring appreciation for inanimate, seemingly ordinary objects. Such as shop windows, rural churches, billboards and common folks passing by. Aperture.org/books/aperture-masters-of-photography-series-walker-evans/ [30MAR2022]
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DIANE ARBUS: PORTRAIT OF A PHOTOGRAPHER | BIOGRAPHY
Lubow's biography on Diane Arbus also contains some pages with photos.
Born into considerable wealth, Arbus suffered all her life from the guilt of privilege. Her mother, Gertrude, was the heir to the family business, Russeks, a prestigious department store on 5th Avenue that sold furs. While Gertrude was detached to the point of cold, her husband, David Nemerov, was strict to the point of bullying. After pursuing a short, unhappy career as a fashion photographer in collaboration with her husband, she walked off a Vogue shoot, announcing, “I can’t do it any more. I’m not going to do it any more.” It was the New Documents exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 1967 that propelled Arbus into the public eye. It was the biggest and most important show in Diane's lifetime. As Arthur Lubow’s deeply researched biography (2016) of Diane Arbus (b.14Mar1923 – 26Jul1971) notes, we find details of her sex life scattered throughout 'Diane Arbus: Portrait of a Photographer'. It is known through previous biographers – e.g. Patricia Bosworth and the psychoanalytical William Todd Schultz – that Arbus’s transgressive art and life were intertwined to a complex degree: she sometimes had sex with some of the so-called 'freaks' she photographed and once took part in an orgy when shooting a story on swingers. The book is punctuated by shocking revelations about her private life, e.g. the relationship with painter & graphic designer Marvin Israel (married) and London magazine editor Peter Crookston. Both helped her both professionally as well as in friendship. Perhaps through sex she was drilling for affection, but she seems never to have hit a gusher. She did love her daughters, and it must have been painful that her daughter Doon got into a sexual relation with Marvin Israel, but she hid those feeling if she did feel hate and hurt. Lubow's book also mentions, based on Daine's psychoanalyst’s notes, that she had a fitful but prolonged incestuous relationship with her beloved older brother, Howard, up until a few months before her death. Four years after the New Documents exhibition, on 26 July 1971, Diane Arbus took her own life by swallowing barbiturates and cutting her wrists with a razor blade. www.theguardian.com/- - -/diane-arbus-portrait-of-a-photographer [21MAR2022]
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VINCENT MENTZEL FOTO'S | CATALOGUE PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOJOURNALISM
For years, Vincent Mentzel (1945) has been one of the most iconic photographers in the Netherlands. He literally gave shape to the news. Born in Hoogkarspel (Netherlands), Mentzel studied at the Academie van Beeldende Kunsten en Technische Wetenschappen (now Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam University of Fine Arts). Since the early 1970s, Vincent Mentzel has been a staff photographer for the major Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad and is now one of the best-known Dutch photojournalists. For his work, he has been honored many times with the Silver Camera award (Zilveren Camera) of the Dutch Photojournalists Association (Nederlandse Vereniging of Fotojournalisten (NVF)) and the World Press Photo by the World Press Photo Foundation. en.wikipedia.org:_Vincent_Mentzel VincentMentzel.nl [20MAR2022]
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WALKABOUT @ZALTBOMMEL | HISTORY NETHERLANDS
The first outing with my brand-new Leica Q2 Monochrome! And indeed, a first visit to Zaltbommel in the Dutch province of Brabant. The town of Zaltbommel was first mentioned as 'Bomela' in the year 850. Zaltbommel borders the river Waal in the north, the Maas in the south and the Dammed Maas in the west. In January 1995, the already high water levels rose even further due to persistent heavy rainfall upstream. In Germany, the center of Cologne flooded. At Lobith, on January 25th, the level of the Rhine rose by two meters within a day and at Zaltbommel the Waal rose one meter... Zaltbommel is a pleasant historic, fortified town to wander around.
[18MAR2022]
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50 YEARS OF PHOTOGARPHY by WILLEM DIEPRAAM | PHOTOGRAPHY
Due to the Corona lockdown I missed this exhibition in the Rijksmuseum (09Oct2020 - 10Jan2021), but glad I could still order the catalogue from their bookshop! Photographer Willem Diepraam (b. 1944) has had a huge influence on Dutch photography. A pioneering photo reportage journalist in the 1970s, he went on to take the art of photography to new heights. In the 1970s and 80s Willem Diepraam captured images of a Netherlands that is almost unrecognisable to modern eyes, and of the former Dutch colony Suriname on the eve of independence. Willem Diepraam (b. 13Apr1944, Amsterdam) is a Dutch photographer. In 2011, Diepraam began transferring his collection of his photographic work to the Rijksmuseum. His early and recent work was exhibited here for the first time. Pity I missed it, but I did get the book! www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/- - -/willem-diepraam
[16MAR2022]
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DAVID BAILEY: FOUR BEATS TO THE BAR AND NO CHEATING | DVD DOCUMENTARY
The famous British artist David Bailey, from the London working class, established his name in the 1960s as an ultra-hip fashion photographer for Vogue magazine. This documentary, which dates from 2010, features interviews with art critic Martin Harrison, Bailey's ex-wife Catherine Deneuve, his current wife Catherine Dyer, and his close friend Jerry Hall. Bailey developed a love of natural history, and this led him into photography. As well as dyslexia he was also diagnosed with the motor skill disorder dyspraxia (developmental coordination disorder). Although Bailey has now passed the age of 70, he is still active as a photographer. en.wikipedia.org:_/David_Bailey [14MAR2022]
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CITIES WITH UKRAINE | WAR PROTEST Attended this afternoon a demonstration in support of Ukraine.
[12MAR2022]
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ZILVEREN CAMERA 2021 | PHOTOJOURNALISM AWARDS
Visited the 'Zilveren Camera photojournalism 2021' exhibition in Hilversum yesterday. Alway impressive and inspiring. NL.wikipedia.org/:_Zilveren_Camera [12MAR22]
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ALLAERT VAN EVERDINGEN (1621-1674) | PAINTER EXHIBITION
The museum presents a collection of fine and applied art and fascinating temporary exhibitions. In the basement one can experience the seven weeks of the Siege of Alkmaar (1573) day by day, based on the surviving eye-witness report by the city councillor Nanning van Foreest. Alkmaar was under siege by the Spanish in the 80 Years War or Dutch War of Independence (1568–1648). There's also an exhibition of the Dutch Golden Age in relation to Alkmaar. The temporary exhibition of paintings by Allart (Allaert) van Everdingen initiated my visit, it blew me away! Allart van Everdingen (1621-1675) | The Rugged Landscape In 1644 a young Alkmaar artist, Allart van Everdingen, spent a few months travelling around Norway. Back in Holland, he worked up his impressions of the Scandinavian landscape in paintings, drawings and prints. These scenes of log cabins and waterfalls in rugged regions had never been seen before in the Dutch art market and became Allart’s trademark. But he had more to offer: dramatic seascapes and river views, typical Dutch landscapes and prints illustrating the tale of Reynard the Fox. In his 400th anniversary year, Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar presents the first retrospective of this multifaceted artist. Join him on his travels and admire his landscapes. Simply wonderful! en.wikipedia.org:_Allaert_van_Everdingen stedelijkmuseumalkmaar.nl/en/ More photos of on Flickr.com en.wikipedia.org:_Eighty_Years' War en.wikipedia.org:_Schutterij [04MAR2022]
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CHINA 85/07 by KOEN WESSING | PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOBOOK
I was very pleased to be able to obtain this photobook on China, it's out of print and hard to get a copy. Koen Wessing (b.Amsterdam, 26Jan1942 – d.Amsterdam, 02Feb2011) was a Dutch photographer. Wessing was born in Amsterdam, the son of the interior designer Han Wessing and sculptor Eva Eisenloeffel. In elementary school, it turned out that he was word blind (famous British photographer David Bailey suffers from dyslexia too). www.walgenbach.nl/ - /photo-books/ - - - /wessingkoen-china-8507/ [03MAR2022]
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BOURTANGE (MUSEUM) | FORTIFIED TOWN Fort Bourtange (Dutch: Vesting Bourtange) is a fort in the village of Bourtange, Groningen, Netherlands. It was built on a sand ridge, surrounded by marshland. And indeed the agricultural area we drove through often showed standing water on the pastures left and right besides the road. After experiencing its final battle in 1672, Fort Bourtange continued to serve in the defensive network on the German border until it was finally given up in 1851 and converted into a village. It wasn't very busy, plus not terribly much to see and quite chilly upon our visit yesterday, so most people quickly went into the restaurant (as did we!) en.wikipedia.org:_Fort_Bourtange [02MAR2022]
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SLAVA UKRAINI - SUPPORT UKRAINE - STOP PUTIN'S WAR
"Glory to Ukraine!" is a Ukrainian national salute. It is often accompanied by the response "Glory to the heroes!" On 24Feb2022, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, one of its neighbours to the southwest. Early reports declared it the largest conventional warfare operation in Europe since World War II. The invasion was preceded by a Russian military build-up that started in early 2021, during which Russian president Vladimir Putin criticised the post-1997 enlargement of NATO as a threat to his country's security and demanded that Ukraine be legally prohibited from joining the military alliance; Around 05:00 EET (UTC+2) on Feb.24th, Putin announced a "special military operation" in eastern Ukraine; minutes later, missiles began to hit locations across Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv. The invasion received widespread international condemnation, including new sanctions imposed on Russia. Global protests took place against the invasion, while protests in Russia were met with mass arrests. en.wikipedia.org:_2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine [28FEB2022]
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TRANSIENT DESIRES by DONNA LEON | CRIME FICTION BOOKS ![]()
In 'Transient Desires' we see Commissario Guido Brunetti following new paths to bring a criminal to justice. The experienced commisario intuitively knows how to navigate the various pathways in his native city, Venice, but here he has to resort to coöperation with other police forces he never before has acquainted while they are also based in Venice and easily reached by vaporetto (except perhaps for the hierarchy). As Brunetti and his colleague, Claudia Griffoni, investigate the incident, they discover that one of the young men works for a man rumored to be involved in more sinister nighttime activities in the Laguna. Brunetti needs to enlist the help of both the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Costiera as the investigation leads him to sea, outside his jurisdiction. We see Brunetti musing about his children's future, comparing them (only slight younger than the two Italian men) with Marcello and Duso, both from a very different background and facing very different prospects. Italy is still a country where one needs relatives and/or powerful connections to get a job or to succeed in anything. Donna Leon (b. 29Sep1942-, @Montclair, New Jersey) is an American author of a series of crime novels set in Venice and featuring the fictional protagonist Commissario Guido Brunetti. www.goodreads.com/ - / -transient-desires
[26FEB2022]
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AMERICA IN PASSING by HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON | PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOBOOKS
This photobook brings together the images from Cartier-Bresson's various assignments in the United States, which he first visited in the mid-1930s. Spanning several decades, these works show the rich social diversity of American society. Henri Carrier-Bresson studied painting in the 1920s & committed himself to photography in the early 1930s. In 1940 he was captured & imprisoned by the Germans before escaping to join the Paris underground. In 1947 he was one of the founders of the photography agency Magnum. His work is featured in the collections of several of the world's most prominent museums. You'll find several items on MyBlog on Henri Cartier's work, both on his books I've purchased over the years as well as exhibitions of his work I've visited abroad: 2016Q3, 2018Q1, 2018Q2, 2021Q3, Venice 2020, Paris 2021. [15FEB2022]
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VINCENT MENTZEL RESTROSPECTIVE | PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOJOURNALIST For years, Vincent Mentzel (1945) has been one of the most iconic photographers in the Netherlands. He literally gave shape to the news. Born in Hoogkarspel (Netherlands), Mentzel studied at the Academie van Beeldende Kunsten en Technische Wetenschappen (now Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam University of Fine Arts). Since the early 1970s, Vincent Mentzel has been a staff photographer for the major Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad and is now one of the best-known Dutch photojournalists. For his work, he has been honored many times with the Silver Camera award (Zilveren Camera) of the Dutch Photojournalists Association (Nederlandse Vereniging of Fotojournalisten (NVF)) and the World Press Photo by the World Press Photo Foundation. en.wikipedia.org:_Vincent_Mentzel VincentMentzel.nl [15FEB2022]
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TOKYO by SHOMEI TOMATSU & DAIDO MORIYAMA | PHOTOBOOKS PHOTOGRAPHY
Shōmei Tōmatsu (b.16Jan1930 – d.14Dec2012) was a Japanese photographer. He is known primarily for his images that depict the impact of World War II on Japan and the subsequent occupation of U.S. forces. Daidō Moriyama (b.10Oct1938-) received the 'Infinity Award for Lifetime Achievement' from the International Center of Photography in New York, in 2004; and the Hasselblad Award in 2019. I already had several books by Mr Moriyama, one bought in Tokyo; one more book (the catalogue) could not hurt and am very pleased with the catalogue by Mr Tomatsu. In fact this fine catalogue of this dual exhibition, published by the MEP and Akio Nagasawa Publishing, has a 3rd booklet with texts (English & French) and biographies. A joy to browse and read. www.akionagasawa.com/en/publishing [08FEB2022]
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HET ERGSTE MOET NOG KOMEN - ALFONS LAMMERS | BOOKS WORLD ![]()
In letters to friends, acquaintances and former colleagues, he comments on world events for a time span of ten years, with special attention to his beloved America. The style of writing is pleasantly meandering, the reader sails on the author's flow of musings and watchful irony. Pleasant reading! deleesclubvanalles.nl/recensie/het-ergste-moet-nog-komen (NL) [08FEB2022]
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ALEXINE TINNE - HER WORLDVIEW | PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
Alexine Tinne was a remarkable woman, in so many ways! As a young aristocrat she moved in fine circles, at home and abroad, and was often proposed but she thought life had more to offer than marriage.. Imagine that attitude, in the 19th century! Tinne was the daughter of Philip Frederik Tinne and his 2nd wife, Baroness Henriette van Capellen. Philip Tinne was a Dutch merchant who settled in England during the Napoleonic Wars and later returned to his native land, marrying Henriette, daughter of a Dutch Vice-Admiral, Theodorus Frederik van Capellen, and Petronella de Lange, a lady-in-waiting to Queen Sofia. Alexandrine 'Alexine' Pieternella Françoise Tinne (b.17Oct1835 – d01Aug1869) was a Dutch explorer in Africa and she was the first European woman to attempt to cross the Sahara. On 02Jan1867 Alexine was living in Algiers and an earthquake occurred. She helped where she could, but also asked a photographer from the Geiser family to photograph the damages. She made a report of the consequences of the earthquake and compiled it with the photographs. Thus she was the first Dutch person partaking in photojournalism! Accompanied by her mother and her aunt, Tinne left Europe in the summer of 1861 for the White Nile region. After a short stay at Khartoum, the party traveled up the White Nile and became the first European women to reach Gondokoro. Tinne fell ill and they were forced to return. en.wikipedia.org:_Alexine_Tinne [30JAN2022]
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LEEUWENHORST COUNTRY ESTATE | WALKABOUT
This estate Nieuw Leeuwenhorst (in the province of Zuid-Holland) dates from the 17th century. It's located quite close to the famous Dutch bulb fields, but that's for another time of year. Some early history: www.zuidhollandslandschap.nl/gebieden/landgoed-nieuw-leeuwenhorst (NL) [29JAN2022]
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NEW DOCUMENTS 1967: ARBUS ° FRIEDLANDER ° WINOGRAND | PHOTOGRAPHY
This modestly scaled exhibition, featuring work by three (then) young and relatively unknown photographers named Diane Arbus (b.14Mar1923 – d.26Jul1971), Lee Friedlander (b.14Jul1934), and Garry Winogrand (b.14Jan1928 – d.19Mar1984), had a lasting influence on modern photography. Even though this catalgue is in German, which I can read a little (but would have preferred the English edition), I am glad I could buy it as I have too little of these fantastic photographers. Some of the text in the back is in English. Arbus's imagery helped to normalize marginalized groups and highlight the importance of proper representation of all people. Friedlander's mother Kaari died of cancer when he was seven years old. Already earning pocket-money as a photographer since he was 14, he went on at the age of 18, to study photography at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Garry Winogrand was an American street photographer, known for his portrayal of U.S. life and its social issues, in the mid-20th century. www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/ [29JAN2022]
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NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST by RICHARD BENSON | PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOBOOKS
When I held this book, considerings its purchase, I was attracted to the type of photography, a lot of them objects or details. Having read the essays, by Peter Galassi and Richard Benson himself, how these photos are about printing, the book took on a whole new dimension. Richard Benson (b.08Nov1943 – d.22Jun2017), former dean of the Yale School of Art and a MacArthur Foundation Fellow, has been a photographer for more than 4 decades but his art often took a back seat to his prodigious achievements as a renowned printer and teacher. [23JAN2022]
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KILLING THE SHADOWS by VAM McDERMID | BOOKS CRIME FICTION ![]() Though McDermid skillfully alternates point of view and creates memorable scenes and complex characters, I think the author overdid things here. A bit bored with her teaching job, Fiona decides to accept an invitation by the Spanish police to catch a vicious murderer in Toledo. So we have a few details about Fiona's sister being killed and its effect on Fiona, a murder on Hampstead Heath and a serial killer in Toledo - now to which we add a serial killer of crime writers... We come to a point where DSI Steve Preston needs Fiona's help in yet another investigation (but the reader knows it is part of a series of killings), but initially she refuses to resume working with the police. Lots of mental considerations, then the personal dimensions draw her in. She accepts an invitation by the City Police to do a research, first in Edinburgh. McDermid won Britain's Gold Dagger Award for best crime novel in 1995. www.publishersweekly.com [23JAN2022]
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LEUVEN, BELGIUM | STREETPHOTOGRAPHY
Leuven yesterday. Cold & grey, so we took our time for a pleasant lunch, bought some photography books at DeSlegte (an excellent books discounter) and was pleased with the pictures after we returned home. Leuven is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. Wikipedia [20JAN2022]
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IS CHINA NOG TE STOPPEN? - HENK SCHULTE NORDHOLT | WORLD AFFAIRS ![]() 'Hoe een virus de wereldorde verandert' (EN=How a virus changes the world order)
In 'Can China still be stopped?' Henk Schulte Nordholt outlines the current state of China, and he paints a not very cheerful picture in global relations. Schulte Nordholt knows the country inside out and understands the Chinese mindset, in which speaking the truth is not always necessary and putting the opponent on the wrong foot is a standard operating procedure. Initially, China was the center of the corona crisis, but not for long. The country was soon corona-free and the economy is now growing strongly again. The Communist Party (CCP) seized on the crisis to accelerate the 'Great Rebirth of the Chinese Nation.' Esspecially Europe, the fragmented EU to be precise, should step up its efforts to face the reality of China's ambitions. The book concludes hopefully, explaining the pitfalls for the CCP in its aim to remain the single governing party and how Xi Jinping will fail in permanently bending the country to his will. Greatly recommended reading! NL.wikipedia.org:_Henk_Schulte_Nordholt_(sinoloog) [15JAN2022]
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OUR STREETS DURING LOCKDOWN DUE COVID PANDEMIC | STREETPHOTOGRAPHY [13JAN2022]
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WINTER IN AMSTERDAM by MARIE-JEANNE VAN HÖVELL TOT WESTERFLIER
Marie-Jeanne van Hövell tot Westerflier was born in 1953 and lives in Amsterdam. With many exhibitions at galleries and art fairs, she specialises in city views in winter, portraits and interiors. Winter in Amsterdam: in over 90 black-and-white images, photographer Marie-Jeanne has portrayed Amsterdam over the years frozen by cold, snow, fog and ice. The book is introduced by novelist Oek de Jong who places the photography of Marie-Jeanne from Hövell to Westerflier in the tradition of the painter and photographer George Hendrik Breitner. Due to the virtual absence of people and traffic, Van Hövell's cityscapes have an atmosphere of timelessness. The houses with their history will therefore speak to the reader more strongly: the individuality of each house, the many architectural styles, details of the facades, the arches of the bridges over the Amsterdam canals. Marie-Jeanne van Hövell tot Westerflier (b. 26Jul1953- ) is a Dutch photographer. [13JAN2022]
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DE BOEKHANDELAAR VAN FLORENCE - ROSS KING | BOOKS HISTORY
![]() 'The Bookseller of Florence' by Ross King
The author does not come down to 'streetlevel' of the Vespasiano, the protagonist, as in a biography. Which is understandable, because in spite of the astounding amount of research for this book, there is no information on the very details of his day-to-day life. The renaissance produced a massive amount of new thoughts and discussion, development of manuscripts, books and printed material played a role in the distribution of this. en.wikipedia.org:_Ross_King_(author) [08JAN2022]
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LEICAFLEX SL ![]()
In 1964 Leitz introduced its first single-lens reflex camera, the Leicaflex also known as the Leicaflex Standard. This was a response, albeit reluctantly, to the rising popularity of the SLR format. Ludwig Leitz, head of the company was urged to begin development by photographer Walther Benser back in 1955. Beginning with the introduction of the Asahi Pentax in 1957, the Nikon F and the Canonflex in 1959, all from Japan. However Leitz did not have the expertise the Japanese had in this format. To that date its leading product; was the Leica M mount series, a rangefinder camera; a format long abandoned by its competitors in the Far East. The Leicaflex series of single-lens reflex 35 mm format film cameras were introduced by Leitz Camera in 1964. The first camera body was paired with the new R bayonet series of lenses. Late into the market with high prices and limited range of lenses and accessories, Leicaflex sales were below expectations and production ended in 1976. However the production of the R mount lenses continued and were paired with the new Leica R3 that was developed in cooperation with Minolta, together with the Minolta XE bodies. As a photographer I was also allowed to wander in most areas of Soesterberg AB, which was exceptional for me for in the school days leading up to my service I was a 'Soesterg plane spotter'! [08JAN2022]
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MARTINE FRACK | PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHY
While visiting the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson in Paris last year I acquired some truly excellent photobooks, including this wonderful 'retrospective' of Martine Franck. I am a great fan of her 'friendly gaze'. Martine Franck (b.02Apr1938 – d.16Aug2012) was a British-Belgian documentary and portrait photographer. She was a member of Magnum Photos for over 32 years. Franck was the second wife of Henri Cartier-Bresson and co-founder and president of the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation. Franck was born in Antwerp to the Belgian banker Louis Franck and his British wife, Evelyn. After her birth the family moved almost immediately to London. A year later, her father joined the British army, and the rest of the family were evacuated to the United States. Franck studied art history at the University of Madrid and at the Ecole du Louvre in Paris, but turned at some point to photography instead. In 1966, she met Henri Cartier-Bresson, 30 years her senior, when she was photographing Paris fashion shows for The New York Times. By 1969 she was a busy freelance photographer for magazines such as Vogue, Life and Sports Illustrated, and the official photographer of the Théâtre du Soleil (a position she held for 48 years). In 1980, Franck joined the Magnum Photos cooperative agency as a 'nominee', and in 1983 she became a full member. She was one of a very small number of women to be accepted into the agency. In 1993, she first traveled to the Irish island of Tory where she documented the tiny Gaelic community living there. She also traveled to Tibet and Nepal, and with the help of Marilyn Silverstone photographed the education system of the Tibetan Tulkus monks. Franck was well known for her documentary-style photographs of important cultural figures such as the painter Marc Chagall, philosopher Michel Foucault and poet Seamus Heaney, and of remote or marginalized communities such as Tibetan Buddhist monks, elderly French people, et cetera. Nine books of Franck's photographs have been published. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martine_Franck [07JAN2022]
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RETIREMENT! ![]() Colleagues had spread this photo for my last shift (nightshift, Dec.30/31st). Not many, if any, could make themselves comfortable like this for a brief moment of rest.
After having worked 45 years at Schiphol IAP, always in rotating shifts, I am glad to embrace retirement. Effective 01Jan14 I was among the staff integrated into KLM, but I never warmed to KLM. Martinair Cargo was reduced to 4 747s, when 7 MD-11Fs were done away with by KLM - inspite initial promises the 11 cargo planes (socalled 'full freighters') would remain a valuable service tool besides the cargo transported in the bellies through the passenger network. Don't trust politicians, don't trust higher management of large coöperations. The 'power snooze' captured above should not be misunderstood for lack of motivation, but MP's reduced relevance did not enhance my motivation, also because the charter spirit of Martinair had totally evaporated. I had witnessed 20 years of growth, then followed 20 years of decline. I left the company noting it had very little perpective (by KLM) on its future, a continued status of the last 2-3 years at least. With Martinair (de facto KLM, Martinair management was often a delaying factor for the decisions had to come from KLM) everything went through process and protocol common to KLM's procedural molasses (only one of my gripes with KLM). [01JAN2022]
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