Portraits. One of a Kind. Portraits from the LaSalle Bank Photography Collection.

LaSalle Bank, 2006. Essay by Carol Ehlers. Distributed by D.A.P. Hardcover. Like new except long thin scratch on back cover of dust jacket, not very noticeable under the new dust jacket protector. No marks or other defects. Large format book, well printed and designed. Photographers include August Sander; Walker Evans; Mike Disfarmer; Julie Moos; Richard Avedon; Edward Weston; Julia Margeret Cameron; Cindy Sherman; William Klein; Gordon Parks; Eduard van der Elsken; Rineke Dijkstra; Jitka Hanzlova; Meridel Rubenstein; David Hilliard; Roy DeCarava; Larry Sultan; Thomas Struth; Tina Barney; Carrie Mae Weems; Nicholas Nixon; Diane Arbus; Chao Chan; Rip Hopkins; David Hockney; Stephen Shore; Dawoud Bey; Ben Gest; Philip-Lorca diCorcia; Henri Cartier-Bresson; Philippe Halsman; Tina Barney; Manuel Alvarez Bravo; Chuck Stewart; Dieter Appelt; Arno Nollen; Edward Steichen; Man Ray; Seydou Keita.  Summary:

One of a Kind: Portraits from the LaSalle Bank Photography Collection (2006) is a significant corporate collection monograph published by LaSalle Bank, N.A. (Chicago) and distributed by D.A.P. Featuring a foreword by Thomas C. Heagy and an introductory essay by curator Carol Ehlers, this 120-page hardcover publication highlights forty-eight masterfully reproduced portraits drawn from the bank's renowned, world-class photography archive.

Core Themes & Structural Blueprint

1. Survey of Photographic Portraiture History

The volume acts as a targeted historical survey, curating foundational works from some of the most critical figures in the medium. It traces the stylistic and thematic evolution of the human likeness from classic nineteenth-century pioneers up through contemporary vanguard artists.

2. Contextual Frameworks of the Portrait

Ehlers organizes the selection by shifting environments, examining how different physical and social settings alter the dynamic between the subject, the photographer, and the viewer:

• The Studio Space: Focuses on formal, controlled, and heavily staged artistic environments, featuring work by canonical masters like Julia Margaret Cameron, Edward Weston, and Richard Avedon.

• The Street Environment: Steps outside into chaotic, public landscapes to capture raw, candid, or solitary human moments, highlighting street documentation by William Klein, Gordon Parks, and Rineke Dijkstra.

• The Intimate Circle: Investigates domestic, private spaces and familial relationships through vulnerable, highly personal photographs by practitioners such as Roy DeCarava, Larry Sultan, Tina Barney, and Thomas Struth.

3. Deconstructing the "One of a Kind" Identity

True to its title, the publication explores the psychological uniqueness of individual subjects while simultaneously analyzing the conceptual frameworks of representation. By juxtaposing radically different aesthetics—such as August Sander’s typologies, Walker Evans's documentary realism, and Cindy Sherman’s fictional self-portraiture—the text analyzes how identity is performed for the camera lens.

One of a Kind stands as a testament to the peak of corporate art collecting in America. Under the editorial guidance of Heagy and Ehlers, the publication elevates a localized institutional collection into an essential educational resource, mapping out the overarching formal shifts, cultural narratives, and emotional boundaries that define modern photographic portraiture.