The Helmut Newton SUMO was a titanic book that towered above anything previously attempted. Twenty years later, we celebrate the legacy of this publishing venture in an XL edition, the result of a project conceived by Helmut Newton and revised by his wife June. Gathering 464 images and a new booklet that takes us through the making of the SUMO, it\u2019s a spectacular tribute to the larger-than-life photographer.<\/p>\n
Helmut Newton (1920\u20132004) always showed a healthy disdain for the easy or predictable, so it\u2019s no surprise that the SUMO was an irresistible project. The idea of a book the size of a private exhibition, with spectacular images reproduced to state-of-the-art origination and printing standards, emerged from an open, experimental dialogue between photographer and publisher. With the SUMO weighing in\u2014boxed and shrink-wrapped\u2014at 35.4 kg (just under 80 pounds), Newton created a landmark book that stood head and shoulders above anything previously attempted, both in terms of conceptual extravagance and technical specifications.<\/p>\n
Published in an edition of 10,000 signed and numbered copies, the SUMO sold out soon after publication and quickly multiplied its value. It now features in numerous collections around the world, including New York\u2019s Museum of Modern Art. The legendary copy number one, signed by more than 100 of the book\u2019s featured celebrities, broke the record for the most expensive book published in the 20th century, sold at an auction in Berlin on April 6, 2000 for 620,000 German marks\u2014about 317,000 euros.<\/p>\n
Now, this XL edition celebrates 20 years of SUMO, the result of a project conceived by Helmut Newton some years ago. Revised by his wife June, the volume gathers 464 images and a new booklet that takes us through the making-of this publishing venture\u2014a spectacular tribute to the larger-than-life Helmut Newton, now in a friendly format.<\/p>\n
Images \u00a9 The Helmut Newton Estate \/ Maconochie Photography<\/p>\n
The photographer<\/p>\n
Helmut Newton (1920\u20132004) was one of the most influential photographers of all time. He first achieved international fame in the 1970s while working principally for French Vogue, he became celebrated for his controversial scenarios. Most striking was his ability to make a throughly planned photograph seem fresh and dynamic. His many titles and awards included Commandeur de l\u2019Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.<\/p>\n
Hardcover with booklet in slipcase<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Helmut Newton SUMO was a titanic book that towered above anything previously attempted. Twenty years later, we celebrate the legacy of this publishing venture in an XL edition, the result of a project conceived by Helmut Newton and revised by his wife June. Gathering 464 images and a new booklet that takes us through…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":53845,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[13533,4517],"product_tag":[1647,6632,6121,151],"class_list":["post-53410","product","type-product","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","product_cat-books","product_cat-photography-en","product_tag-erotica","product_tag-photographers","product_tag-photography","product_tag-women","pa_author_att-helmut-newton-en","pa_author_att-june-newton-en","pa_cover-hardcover","pa_format-267-x-374-cm-en","pa_isbn-9783836578196-en","pa_language-eng-f-ger","pa_pages-464-en","pa_published-2019-05-20-en","pa_publisher-taschen-en-en","first","outofstock","sold-individually","shipping-taxable","purchasable","product-type-simple"],"yoast_head":"\n