INSCRIBED BY RICHARD NEUTRA
NEUTRA, Richard. Life and Shape. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, (1962). Octavo, original green cloth, original dust jacket. $1100.
First edition, association copy, inscribed by Neutra to the photographer Barbara Morgan, his colleague at UCLA, and her husband, the writer William Morgan, "To Barbara Morgan and her husband—who have suffered making the best book about a man, who deserves only the third best—Most cordially and sincere wishes to them and theirs, Richard Neutra." Additionally inscribed by the artist Annita Delano—another colleague of Morgan and Neutra at UCLA—"To Barbara Morgan and to William Morgan to my mind two of the happiest people I have ever known, Annita Delano."
Life and Shape summarizs the celebrated architect's beginnings, and his thoughts and reflections on future living and building. Photographer Barbara Morgan—co-founder of Aperture magazine—taught at UCLA along with Neutra and Delano in the 1920s. Morgan also at this time assisted her husband, the writer William Morgan, in photographing the modern architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and Richard Neutra, including a full documentation of the building of the Lovell House (hence Neutra's comment on their working on a book about him). Barbara Morgan went on to be renowned for her pictures of dancers. She and Delano co-curated an exhibition of Edward Weston's work at UCLA in 1927.
Book very nearly fine, dust jacket near-fine with minor wear around spine ends, slightest toning to spine.