EGGLESTON, William - Morals of Vision

Background information

"With 'Morals of Vision', the series of re-releases of William EGGLESTON's once-in-a-lifetime published artist books will continue after 'Flowers'. The book design by Katy HOMAN has essentially been retained, i. the pictures are glued in and not printed on the sides. This preserves the character of the artist's books, which consist of only a few color photographs. Therefore, the acquisition is worthwhile to empathize with how the lucky ones of that time must have felt, who once received one of the few specimens." (© Richard G. SPORLEDER)

"When William EGGLESTON’s second artist’s book 'Morals of Vision' was first published in 1978 in a limited edition of fifteen copies, only a handful of lucky people were able to obtain it; it has since become a collectible rarity. That is now to change with this new edition, which re-imagines 'Morals of Vision' as a trade book for the general public. The original 'Morals of Vision' contains eight color coupler prints of William EGGLESTON’s archetypal still lifes, landscapes and portraits which glorify the banal and have since changed the history of color photography.

'There is no particular reason to search for meaning,' William EGGLESTON has said of his work in general, a sentiment in contrast with the title 'Morals of Vision' which suggests that there are indeed principles of a kind to be learnt from the images in this book.
Yet the lessons in photos including those of a broom leaning again a wall, green grain silos in the fading light, and an off-center electric candle complete with fake wax, remain EGGLESTON’s own ironic secret.

About the book design: Nine color photographs printed on Phoenixmotion Xantur 115gsm paper from Scheufelen paper mill, mounted on Somerset Book 115gsm paper from St. Cuthbert Mill with PVA adhesive. The type, has been set in Berthold Quality Bemba and Perpetua, in reference to Katy Homans’ original design for William EGGLESTON´s 1978 photo book." (publisher's note, © Steidl Verlag, 2019)