Paris/New York. Arts Yearbook 3. Robert Frank, Edward Steichen, Lewis Hine, et al.

Art Digest, 1959. Edited by Hilton Kramer. Hardcover, fine with good protected dust jacket chipped at extremities. Photography section includes photos of New York and Paris by: George Eastman; Alvin Langdon Coburn; Edward Steichen; Paul Strand; Eugene Atget; Rudy Burckhardt; Lewis Hine; Berenice Abbott; Robert Frank; Todd Webb; Walter Silver; Elynne Boardman; and Mottke Weissman. Artists in other media profiled include Jackson Pollock, Milton Avery, Vieira da Silva, Ben Bennett, Tel Coat, Franz Kline, Jean Dubuffet, Louise Nevelson, Jean Hélion, Richard Pousette-Dart, Ellsworth Kelly, Alberto Giacometti, Richard Stankiewicz, et al, with illustrations. Includes many portraits of painters by Mottke Weissman. Other sections as well, including directories and maps of museums and art galleries in New York and Paris. 181 pages. More than 12 x 15 inches. Summary: Paris/New York (Arts Yearbook 3), edited by the influential critic Hilton Kramer in 1959, is a landmark publication that captures the shifting tectonic plates of the art world at the end of the 1950s. It documents the moment when the center of artistic gravity was moving from the traditional capital, Paris, to the emerging powerhouse, New York. The Transatlantic Dialectic The yearbook functions as a comparative study of the two cities, exploring their differences in painting, sculpture, and, most notably, photography. It contrasts the "old world" sophistication and history of Paris with the raw, energetic "new world" experimentalism of New York. Significant Contributions Robert Frank: The volume is highly sought after by collectors for its inclusion of Robert Frank’s work (two full-page and one half-page photos) during his most fertile period (just after the 1958 French release of Les Américains). It features his gritty, poetic observations that challenged the "pretty" aesthetic of travel photography. The Photography Section: Beyond Frank, the book includes, among others, work by Edward Steichen, who was then the Director of Photography at MoMA. It serves as a bridge between the curated, institutional view of photography (Steichen) and the new, rebellious "street" aesthetic (Frank). Hilton Kramer’s Criticism: As editor, Kramer provides a sharp intellectual framework. Known for his formalist leanings, Kramer analyzes the "New York School" of Abstract Expressionism against the declining influence of the School of Paris. Key Themes The Rise of the American Avant-Garde: The yearbook provides early critical validation for artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, framing their work as a uniquely American response to the post-war era. Urban Identity: Through both essays and photography, the book explores how the physical architecture and "pace" of each city dictated the style of art produced there. Cross-Pollination: It tracks how European exiles influenced the American scene and how American "action painting" was beginning to shock and influence European critics. Legacy and Format As the third installment of the Arts Yearbook series, this volume is celebrated for its high production standards, featuring a mix of color and black-and-white plates that were technically advanced for 1959. It remains an essential primary source for understanding the mid-century transition of modernism and the elevation of photography to a status equal to the fine arts.