Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

In the essay ``Her Geometry,'' Janis uses analysis of an image by Gertrude Kasebier as a template for discussing the themes running through the history of women's photography. The tactic works well for the structural progression from the Victorian photo-decoupage of Lady Filmer through the Dada/Surrealist experiments of Hannah Hoch to Jan Groover's assemblages. It also ties the sexual illusion/power in the crinolines of Lady Clementina Hawarden's young girls to the more unabashed nudes of Sally Mann. Unfortunately, the impact of many contemporary women photographers is glossed over. That Judy Dater is not included as an explorer of female sexuality in imagery, Cindy Sherman is dealt with in a paragraph, and Barbara Kruger is not even mentioned weakens the essay considerably. The absence of an index is another drawback. It's too bad, since the plates are magnificent and production is first-rate.-- Kathy J. Anderson, Onondaga Cty. P.L., N.Y. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

Assembled from public and private collections the world over, the extraordinary images presented in this volume reflect the work of 73 women photographers from the mid-19th century to the present. They range from such early Victorian pioneers as Lady Clementina Hawarden to the recent work of Cindy Sherman, reconstructing a virtual pantheon. As well as encompassing the photographs of important early figures in the art--Julia Margaret Cameron, Gertrude Kasebier--Sullivan ( The Nude ) pays considerable attention to international modernist artists (Berenice Abbott, Imogen Cunningham, Germaine Krull, Dorothea Lange). Each photographer is represented by several examples of her work, eliciting a gamut of emotions from the viewer--cerebral admiration in the case of Margaret Bourke-White's shots of technology; horror in reponse to Lee Miller's depiction of the liberated Dachau concentration camp. Another service rendered by the book is the unveiling of obscure practitioners, such as the innovative English portraitist Madame Yevonde. A perceptive essay by art historian Janis provides a provocative critical framework for all. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

CHOICE Review

An important, ambitious collection of photographs that examines women's contributions to photography from the mid-19th century to the present. The title Women Photographers does not adequately reveal the questions that editor Sullivan and Eugenia Parry Janis (author of the essay) ask about the relationship between the feminine and photography in their attempt to write a history of photography that includes the presence of the feminine spirit. Sullivan's selection of photographs, culled from public and private collections worldwide, lies at the heart of the book. Of the 73 photographers included in the collection, there are a number of emerging artists as well as many known artists, represented here by previously unpublished work. The 200 photographs are beautifully reproduced; a detailed list of plates is included. This is an important addition to any library. -J. Natal, Alfred University

Booklist Review

Editor Sullivan confesses the worst about her annoyingly titled collection when she says, "every enthusiast of the discipline could list what they consider to be unforgivable omissions." Surely the 72 photographers included do not represent 150 years' practice by half the human race! What's more, Sullivan offers little in the way of a unifying thesis, suggesting only a persistent "sensation of intimacy" (the word sensation is a tip-off to her taste, which leans toward the strange and shocking). Further, Eugenia Parry Justis' accompanying essay, although it makes some interesting readings of the photographs, brushes off matters of feminist expression. Finally, lack of biographical information consolidates frustration with the book. Nevertheless, there are the 214 well-produced plates, tritone and full color, that demonstrate Sullivan's knowledge of the medium and brilliant picture-editing skills. Often unfamiliar, consistently powerful, these photographs' existence on the printed page makes a valuable contribution to the still too slight literature on women photographers. For that alone, the book is commendable. List of plates appended. ~--Gretchen Garner