Photos by David Seymour. Publication No 403 of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
Paris, UNESCO, 1949
David 'Chim' Seymour made his reputation as a photojournalist with his extensive coverage of the Spanish Civil War; work characterised by his humanistic perspective and earlier training in the graphic arts. In 1947, he joined Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger, and William Vandivert as co-founding photographers of the Magnum photo agency. The following year, the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) commissioned Chim to photograph the orphans and other children who endured extreme physical and psychological stresses as a result of World War II.
Chim spent over six months working on the commission, travelling to Austria, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Poland. A selection from this series was published in LIFE in December 1948, with the present book published the following year. Children of Europe was issued in English, French, and Spanish editions and was influential in building sympathy in America for the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe. The introduction, 'Letter to a grown up,' and captions are written from the perspective of a young narrator speaking on behalf of these children. It ends with a brief paragraph: 'Share your world with us. We too shall be grown-up people in a few years. Do not abandon us a second time and make us lose forever our faith in the ideals for which you fought'.
First edition; 8vo (224 x 182 mm, 8¾ x 7¼ in); black-and-white photographs printed in gravure, introduction in English, captions in French, English, and Spanish, light toning, occasional tears to tabs; photo-illustrated wire spiral-bound card covers, printed in yellow, wear to edges with small loss at head and foot, handling creases, a very good copy, scarce; 60pp.
Magnum Photobook p11, pp21-3.
Chim spent over six months working on the commission, travelling to Austria, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Poland. A selection from this series was published in LIFE in December 1948, with the present book published the following year. Children of Europe was issued in English, French, and Spanish editions and was influential in building sympathy in America for the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe. The introduction, 'Letter to a grown up,' and captions are written from the perspective of a young narrator speaking on behalf of these children. It ends with a brief paragraph: 'Share your world with us. We too shall be grown-up people in a few years. Do not abandon us a second time and make us lose forever our faith in the ideals for which you fought'.
First edition; 8vo (224 x 182 mm, 8¾ x 7¼ in); black-and-white photographs printed in gravure, introduction in English, captions in French, English, and Spanish, light toning, occasional tears to tabs; photo-illustrated wire spiral-bound card covers, printed in yellow, wear to edges with small loss at head and foot, handling creases, a very good copy, scarce; 60pp.
Magnum Photobook p11, pp21-3.
About us
Shapero Rare Books is an internationally renowned dealer in antiquarian & rare books and works on paper.
Our Bookshop and Gallery can be found in the heart of Mayfair at 106 New Bond Street, where most of our stock is available to view and on public display.
We exhibit at major international art fairs, including TEFAF (Maastricht and New York), Frieze Masters, Art Miami and Masterpiece London, as well as antiquarian & rare book fairs including New York, Paris, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Hong Kong.
