The Face of the Country: a South African family album 1860-1910

Photographic portraits from the collections of the South African Library selected and introduced by Karel Schoeman. 4to; original charcoal boards; laminated pictorial dustwrapper; pp. 144, incl. index; monochrome photographs throughout. Near fine condition; lower panel of dustwrapper very slightly rubbed, with short tear (6mm) to top edge. A remarkable compilation of images, dating from the earliest use of photography in southern Africa, and including many outstanding ethnographic portraits. "From the collections of the South African Library, Cape Town, Karel Schoeman has selected 273 photographs, mainly portraits, to provide and overview of South Africa and its people during half a century in the recent history of the country. Accompanying the photographs is an extensive text in which the images are discussed and events placed in their historical context."