A World History of Women Photographers

Luce Lebart, Marie Robert

A magnificently illustrated history showcasing the work of three hundred women photographers from all over the world, from the invention of the medium through to the present. 

Since the invention of the camera, women photographers have been key innovators in the medium and members of all major photography movements. These are artists who never stopped documenting, questioning, and transforming the world, breaking down social boundaries, challenging gender roles, and expressing their imagination and sexuality.

To capture the diversity of this global body of work, authors Luce Lebart and Marie Robert have invited 160 international women writers to contribute to this bold and beautifully illustrated manifesto.

Spanning from 1850 to the present day, and including images by Helen Levitt, Carrie Mae Weems, Hannah Höch, Sarah Moon, Eve Arnold, and Shirin Neshat, among many others, A World History of Women Photographers is an invaluable work of reference. 

Reviews

Encyclopedic… Teems with fascinating mini-biographies and introduces us to a truly inspiring cast of characters.

— Rangefinder

A volume of considerable importance… With the publication of [this book], Lebart & Robert are expanding the history of photography and creating a world we want.

— Art Photo Collector

This colossal compendium, covering 300 photographers, captures a sliver of how women have continuously transformed, challenged, and reimagined the medium… No single book can contain all that women have contributed to the field, of course, but this is a good place to start.

— Lakshmi Rivera Amin Hyperallergic

As A World History of Women Photographers demonstrates, women have been involved at every stage in the development of the medium, frequently in the front ranks… There are many famous names in this vast survey…but the surprise pleasures are the lesser known.

— The New York Times Book Review

An encyclopedic collection of images that goes back to the beginning of the medium.

— The Globe and Mail

Contributors

Luce Lebart

Author

Luce Lebart is a photography historian, curator, and correspondent for the Archive of Modern Conflict collection. She has been the director of the Canadian Institute of Photography and of the collections of the Société Francçaise de Photographie.

Marie Robert

Author

Marie Robert is chief curator at the Musée d'Orsay.