A retrospective of the photographic work done by the famous Latvian emigre between 1940 and 1970, in America.

Salvador Dali's flamboyant moustache, Richard Nixon jumping in the West Wing, Grace Kelly's amazing profile - these are just a few of the images that achieved iconic status and helped make photographer Philippe Halsman an icon in his own right. Comprising hundreds of photographs and insightful accompanying texts, this volume explores Halsman's oeuvre in a variety of aspects. It examines his early career exhibiting works at the avant-garde La Pleiade Gallery in Paris; his experiments with portraiture, particularly the series of stunning images of Marilyn Monroe and his more than 100 covers for Life magazine; his pictures of the contemporary art scene that include famous dancers, movie stars, stage actors, and musicians and the birth of his "jumpology" concept; and his unique, 30-year collaboration with Salvador Dali, including a book devoted entirely to the artist's moustache. Anyone interested in portraiture, celebrity, or surrealist photography will marvel at the breadth and magnificence of Halsman's work, which is definitively presented in this beautiful volume. AUTHOR: Sam Stourdze is Director of the Musee de L'Elysee in Lausanne, Switzerland. He has published several books on artists such as Dorothea Lange, Federico Fellini and Charlie Chaplin. Anne Lacoste is curator of the exhibitions at the Musee de L'Elysee in Lausanne, Switzerland. She has published several books on artists such as Felice Beato and Irving Penn. 100 illustrations

Making faces: a highly original visual Q&A with France's most beloved comic actor In New York in 1948, photographer Philippe Halsman had a chance meeting with Fernandel, a French movie star from the vaudeville tradition, and asked the actor to participate in a completely original photographic experiment. Halsman would ask Fernandel questions about America to which he would respond using only facial expressions. With his wide, lovable horse-face, Fernandel mimicked the answers to such questions as "Does the average Frenchman still pinch pretty girls in a crowd?" (silly grin) and "What was your reaction to the great American game of baseball?" (perplexed). Fernandel`s reactions are laugh-out-loud funny, and the book that resulted from this unusual collaboration is nothing short of wonderful. The Frenchman has been out of print for over fifty years, but TASCHEN`s reprint thankfully brings it back to life.

Cult classic and collector’s item, Dali’s Mustache is the result of the astonishing artistic collaboration between surrealist Salvador Dalí and experimental photography pioneer Philippe Halsman. Dalí and Halsman were friends as well as professional collaborators for more than three decades. Subtitled A Photographic Interview, the concept of the book is one short question presented to Dalí, which Dalí answers, followed by a corresponding black-and-white photograph by Halsman. The photographs are intentionally absurd and hilarious. Early editions of this book came with a warning on the back that said “Warning! This book is preposterous.” Question: "I have the feeling, to have discovered your secret, Salvador. Could it be that you are crazy?" Answer: "I am certainly saner than the person who bought this book."

Philippe Halsman (1906-1979) was one of the great portrait photographers of his time, with over 100 LIFE magazine covers to his name. His wife Yvonne worked by his side, taking her own photographs of him as he worked. The pictures in this book reveal the creative mind behind the camera.

A major European multi-venue retrospective is in the works for 2009-2010."--BOOK JACKET.