The English Country Houses: From the Archives of Country Life, 1897-1939

Published by Mitchell Beazley, 1994, hardcover, illustrated, oversized, index, 192 pages, condition: as new.

A major feature of the British magazine Country Life has always been its photographic essay on the magnificent country houses of Europe. In 1897, when the magazine was founded, photography as a technique of illustration was gaining acceptance in publishing; because of the long exposure times needed for those early shots, architecture as a subject was a natural. These two initial volumes in a series reproduce for the first time some of the photos commissioned by the magazine. In Hall's work, 20 English homes are illustrated, and Hall includes lengthy family histories, provenance, and pertinent anecdotes about each. Many of the old structures have not fared well over the years; indeed, many exist only on glass negatives. The second volume covers French chateaux dating from the 12th through the 20th centuries. Although this work does not concentrate as closely on family lineage and the provenance of the homes, much attention is focused on the work of the great English photographer Evans. Evans worked for the magazine anonymously, tramping through the French countryside and taking hundreds of pictures of buildings, many of which are today virtually in ruins. Nearly a century later, Binney had to face the daunting task of identifying the artist's uncataloged negatives. These photographs are an invaluable record not only of the architecture, gardens, and decorating schemes of pre-World War I France but also of one of the pioneers of "photojournalism." Both books are highly recommended for libraries with strong history, architecture, and photography collections.