The Confessions of a Tree Taster; | Preface by Michael Torosian
[Toronto]: Lumiere Press, 1987. Octavo, 23.7 x 16 cm. Cased in quarter natural linen and grey Canson paper over boards. Printed paper label to the spine. The upper cover is printed with the title and a wood engraved vignette in black. pp. [7] 8-28 [8]. Slightly musty. Else fine, but with the must a very good copy only. The text was set in Linotype Janson and printed on Mohawk Letterpress Text paper. The design, presswork, and binding were done by Michael Torosian. Two photographs printed from copy negatives on gelatin-silver paper are tipped in. Two further plates are tipped-in: a facsimile of a manuscript page from Michel Lambeth’s ‘Prelude to a Dark Voyage’ and a wood engraving printed in black (Untitled, c. 1952). The wood engraving was repeated on the upper cover. From an edition comprising a total of 176 copies. The present copy is number 101 of 150 issued for sale. This is the second volume of Lumiere’s ‘Homage’ series. Item #401
“When one man writes about another man the final result is somewhat facsimile to a sketchy self-portrait. When all is said and done it is difficult to be true to anyone except oneself. If one is to attempt true portraiture then, let it be in the sense that what is stated is the writer’s own heart living for a moment in that of the person he is portraying.” — Michel Lambeth
“Michel Lambeth (1923-1977) was born in Toronto’s east end, an area that was to figure prominently in his most celebrated work, a portrait of the city, shot in the late 1950s.
Lambeth’s diverse artistic background included work in sculpture, wood engraving, film making and writing, before he turned to photography at the age of 32. His photography was largely in the ‘documentary humanist’ tradition. Within this genre he made a statement of compassion, humour and absolute individuality. He was a pioneer in the art of photography in Canada.
After half-a-dozen years of working on self-assigned projects he became associated with the Star Weekly Magazine, for whom he produced, between 1960 and 1968, over 100 photojournalistic essays.
Lambeth’s work has been honoured in major retrospective exhibitions by the National Film Board of Canada, in 1979, and by the Public Archives of Canada, in 1986.” — Michael Torosian.
Price: $400.00