Dassonville: William E. Dassonville, California Photographer (1879-1957)

William E. Dassonville, a superb photographer, was also a man of great influence in Northern California's artistic community during the early twentieth century. His exquisite work and style are only now beginning to be understood and appreciated, nearly fifty years after his death. His photographs and documents were carefully preserved by his son, Donald, and through the dedication and research of Dassonville's photographs were widely published and won numerous prizes and honors. He counted many prominent artists among his friends and clientele, including John Muir, William Keith, Maynard Dixon, Arnold Genthe, and Alvin Langdon Coburn. His images hung in exhibitions alongside the work of Alfred Stieglitz, Clarence White, Gertrude Kasebier and other renowned artists of the Photo-Secession and the Arts and Crafts movement.

Dassonville's photographs were widely published and won numerous prizes and honors. He counted many prominent artists among his friends and clientele, including John Muir, William Keith, Maynard Dixon, Arnold Genthe, and Alvin Langdon Coburn. His images hung in exhibitions alongside the work of Alfred Stieglitz, Clarence White, Gertrude Kasebier and other renowned artists of the Photo-Secession and the Arts and Crafts movement.

The details of Dassonville's life are illuminated for the first time in this book, presented along with a portfolio of his photographs. In addition, the volume includes Dassonville's exhibition history and a listing of his published photographs and articles. Reprints of his published articles, many of which contain his formulas and technical advise on developing and printing photographs, are also published in this volume.