Polaroid. Legacy of Light. 250 Polaroid Photographs by 58 Distinguished Photographers edited by Constance Sullivan.

Knopf, 1987. [Best survey of Polaroid photography, lavishly produced.  Photographers include Ansel Adams, Lucas Samaras, Michael Spano, Paul Caponigro, Mark Klett, Danny Lyon, Bill Burke, Walker Evans, Imogen Cunningham, Robert Frank, William  Wegman, Richard Pare, Chuck Close, Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Jan Groover, Andre Kertesz, Olivia Parker, et al. ]  With dust jacket. VG+ with VG+ dust jacket that is somewhat faded on spine. Summary:

Legacy of Light (published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1987) is a landmark 264-page anthology edited by prominent photography curator and editor Constance Sullivan. Published in conjunction with a major exhibition at the International Center of Photography (ICP), the volume serves as a definitive testament to the artistic capabilities of the Polaroid process. It brings together 205 color and duotone plates by 58 distinguished American photographers, accompanied by an introduction by art critic Peter Schjeldahl and thematic essays from prominent literary figures.

Core Content & Thematic Structure

1. The Instant Age and Technical Pluralism

The volume opens with an introductory essay titled "The Instant Age," which contextualizes the Polaroid camera not as a commercial gimmick or amateur novelty, but as a revolutionary medium that profoundly altered artistic workflows. The curated selection of images showcases how diverse artistic movements utilized different Polaroid formats—ranging from standard integral film to the massive 20x24-inch studio view camera—shattering the technical and stylistic boundaries typically associated with instant photography.

2. Four Critical Genres

The core of the book organizes the works of the 58 master photographers into four distinct thematic portfolios, each framed by a specific essay written by a celebrated author or critic:

• Landscape: Explored in a text that analyzes pristine, atmospheric, and architectural environments captured by masters like Ansel Adams, Paul Caponigro, and Minor White.

• Portrait: Examined through a narrative focusing on the intense psychological presence and immediacy of instant portraiture, highlighting works by artists such as Chuck Close and Imogen Cunningham.

• The Nude: Framed by a critical assessment analyzing the tactile, intimate depiction of the human form through experimental emulsions and instant transfers.

• Object and Form: Evaluated through a study focusing on still lifes, abstractions, and constructed studio realities by vanguard figures like Jan Groover and Barbara Kasten.

3. A Historical Cross-Section of Masters

The publication acts as an essential historical survey, tracing a direct line from early experimental color pioneers to contemporary post-modernists. By compiling rare or unexpected instant film works from canonical figures—including Walker Evans, Robert Frank, David Hockney, Bill Burke, Marie Cosindas, and Lucas Samaras—the anthology demonstrates that the unique chemical qualities, saturated color palettes, and immediate feedback of Polaroid film attracted the absolute pinnacle of twentieth-century photographic talent.

Legacy of Light stands as one of the most significant institutional validations of instant photography ever published. By pairing a diverse, museum-grade roster of image-makers with serious literary and artistic criticism, the book permanently elevated the Polaroid from a casual snapshot tool to a revered and highly versatile medium within the fine-art canon.