Beschreibung:

[PHOTOGRAPHY]. MORTENSEN, William Herbert (1895-1967), photographer. The Life of Christ from the Motion Picture The King of Kings. Compiled by Jeanie MacPherson. [Los Angeles: Philips Printing Co., 1927]. Folio. Hand-drawn and heightened title, 60 tipped-in silver prints depicting actors from the film as their characters. Original full red morocco, gilt stamped titles and devices on upper cover, marbled endpapers (some darkening to covers, light soiling to first few leaves, rebacked). Provenance: Tipped-in letter from previous owner Kenneth A. Clemens with business card from the United Screen Players’ Agency for Pat Clemens, presumably a representative of actors involved in the making of the film (pasted-in photograph of Cecil B. DeMille). LIMITED EDITION, Number 39 of 50 copies. William Herbert Mortensen was hired as a still photographer by Cecil B. DeMille during production of The King of Kings in 1925. DeMille was so impressed with the photographer’s work that he commissioned Mortensen and the film’s writer, Jeanie MacPherson, to create a lavish, limited edition book consisting of verses from the New Testament and photographs by Mortensen which would then be issued to friends of the production. Mortensen’s photographs for The King of Kings are noteworthy for being the first in film history to be created using a small format camera while the scenes were being filmed, lending them an immediacy not seen in film stills to that point.