Originally published as a serial between 1844 and 1846, The Pencil of Nature was the first book to be illustrated entirely with photographs. Early enthusiast William Henry Fox Talbot hoped to spur public interest in photography—but was forced to cease publication after just six installments. In its time, The Pencil of Nature was not a commercial success. However, as with some other great works of art, it has been required to undergo the test of time in order to be duly recognized and appreciated.
More than 165 years later, Talbot’s book is recognized as a major contribution to both the history of photography and the development of the book. Indeed, it has been said that the importance of The Pencil of Nature in the history of photography is comparable to that of the Gutenberg Bible in the history of printing. Talbot invented the Calotype process and his photographs transformed everyday subjects into works of art. Architectural studies and local landscapes, still-lifes, close-ups, and even a single, carefully executed portrait—Talbot’s twenty-four prints remain strikingly modern and quietly beautiful.
The Pencil of Nature has been published in several different incarnations since its original appearance. Da Capo press published a reproduction in 1969 and Hans Kraus published the most accurate facsimile along with a commentary by Larry Schaaf in 1989.
This KWS edition is has been reproduced from the original plates held in the National Media Museum, Bradford. A 35-page illustrated introduction by Colin Harding, Curator of Photographic Technology at the Museum, gives shape to Talbot’s life and times, how Talbot became interested in the notion of a “photogenic drawing” process (placing photographic images on paper), how he invented the Calotype (the process by which photographic images could be developed on paper) in 1840, how he used the Calotype process to take photographs, and finally, how he conceived of The Pencil of Nature—the means by which he could show, for the first time in a book, the art of photography to the world.
Published at $150 the book is available on Amazon.co.uk for £98.33. Interestingly Amazon also offers a free copy of The Pencil of Nature (not the KWS version) for the Kindle (see: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Pencil-of-Nature-ebook/dp/B004TPLAU6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=A3TVV12T0I6NSM&qid=1307877780&sr=1-1)
The publisher's description is here: http://kwspub.com/The%20Pencil%20of%20Nature.html
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It should be noted that the Kindle version, although free, contains only Talbot's text--and not his all-important photographs. As well, the 1989 Hans Kraus edition is produced from a reproduction of a reproduction, whereas the 2011 KWS edition is produced from the original plates held in Bradford at the National Media Museum. For this reason, the Hans Kraus edition would no longer appear to be the most accurate--if indeed it ever was. Here's a link to an interesting National Media Museum blog from 2009, when the KWS facsimile was being put together: http://nationalmediamuseum.blogspot.com/2009/09/pencil-of-nature-hi...