W. Eugene Smith (1918-1978) revolutionized the photographic-essay form with the works he published in "Life" magazine between 1948 and 1956. This monograph reproduces images from six classic essays: "Country Doctor", which portrays the selfless and sometimes frustrating work of a doctor in rural America; "Spanish Village", the most powerful photographic study of 1950s Spain; "Nurse Midwife", which examines the life of a black woman in the American south; "A Man of Mercy", which documents Dr. Albert Schweitzer's humanitarian work in Africa; "Pittsburgh", Smith's first freelance assignment, previously unpublished; and "Minamata", a photo-essay recording the effects caused by a mercury spill in a region inhabited by Japanese fishermen. Also included are previously unpublished writings by Smith that elucidate his field techniques and guiding principles, as well as the memoir "A Walk to a Paradise Garden," which tells the tale of his most acclaimed photograph.
