Waterproof

Throughout the history of art water in its myriad forms has been a major subject matter for artists. Whether serving as the central focus of a painting -- perhaps the crashing surf in a marinescape -- or as an incidental object, such as a puddle on a rain-washed street in a cityscape, water has always attracted and challenged the artist.

It is not surprising, then, that water has captured the imagination of photographers since the invention of the medium. Gathered in this wonderfully illustrated book are images showing how great photographers, past and present, have portrayed the infinite moods of water. All the familiar names of the medium are here: Ansel Adams, Nobuyoshi Araki, Diane Arbus, Eugene Atget, Bill Brandt, Brassai, Cartier-Bresson, Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Andreas Feininger, David Hockney, Andre Kertesz, Dorothea Lange, Rene Magritte, Jay Maisel, Man Ray, Robert Mapplethorpe, Gjon Mili, Moholy-Nagy, Eadweard Muybridge, Leni Riefenstahl, Alfred Stieglitz, and many, many others.

Organized by theme, the book begins with the states of water (snow, ice, rain, fog) and continues with the paths of water (river, waterfall, lake, sea), human activities (swimming, washing, sailing, fishing), aquatic cities (Istanbul, Venice, San Francisco, Sydney, Hong Kong), urban water (fountains, fire hydrants, puddles), water works (canals, docks, bridges, dams), dangerous water (floods, monsoons, naval war, pollution), human water (urine, sweat, tears), and abstract water (drops, bubbles, light effects). Sure to inspire as well as educate, the book will appeal to photographers, collectors, and historians, and its popular theme will appeal to a larger audience as well.