Luis wrote: >Laura Gilpin made some Pictorialist bowl-of-fruit autochromes around 1912. She was 21. >Paul Strand did his well-known "Orange and Bowls" in 1916. He was 26. >Karl Blossfeldt did his many plant/fruit/veggie close-up studies, _Art Forms in Nature_, published in 1928. ok ok he was 63. But he started photographing at 25. >Florence Henri did modernist lemon/pear/tomato still lifes with mirrors in 1929, called "Abstractions", I think. 36 >Piet Zwart did his famous "Cabbage, 1930". 45. >Even Weston had done his Artichoke image before the peppers, also in 1930. 44 >By that time, plant/leaf/fruit/veggie close-ups were quite trendy internationally, believe it or not. Clearly one had to have gotten this out of their system by the age of 45. > The idea was hardly original, not even for EW. It was the way he saw and photographed the peppers that made all the difference. His nudes are just as brilliant as the peppers, and the nude was an often-photographed subject in his day. So that naughty Cole comes by it naturally, I guess. >By the way, one of the Peppers, #30, was Weston's best-selling image while he was alive. As per his records, twelve were sold. > Some for two dollars... Yeah but back then they had to go uphill both ways in waist deep snow just to get to Eddies house. And the kids kept eating all the godddamned props. (One would surely notice that no beers were photographed. They were never around long enough I suppose.) Anyway, that pepper obviously came from the bargain rack. It looks like it was grown at three mile island. >Rest assured that I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for Weston and his work. I have traveled far and wide to see his prints, and crossed the country to visit Weston Beach and Point Lobos. I own many books with his photographs, and my closest friend gifted me _Edward Weston: The Last Years in Carmel_ for Christmas, two ago, after giving me a tourthrough the exhibit. Give you two bucks for it? > > With the peppers, Weston saw a contemporary trend and advanced it as only he could have. Photograph 'em if ye got 'em, eh? How about it Andy? Wanna do a pepper gallery? How about an ear of corn gallery? NO! I know OKRA! matter of fact, let's send a single piece of raw okra around the world! Should be as interesting to see it change from week to week as to see the different photographic interpretations. r
