South African Landshapes, Landscapes, Manscapes By Guy Butler
South African Landshapes, Landscapes, Manscapes
A Daring and Original Aerial Photographic Homage to the Textures, Geologies, and Human Transformations of the Southern African Terrain
A Daring and Original Aerial Photographic Homage to the Textures, Geologies, and Human Transformations of the Southern African Terrain
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: South African Landshapes, Landscapes, Manscapes
- Author: Guy Butler
- Photographer: Herman Potgieter
- Publisher: Struik Publishers Ltd, Cape Town
- Publication Date: 1990
- ISBN-13: 9781868251681 (ISBN-10: 1868251683)
- Edition Details: First Edition.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium cloth-bound boards with gilt-stamped typography to the spine and front cover; complete with original illustrated dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Oversized Coffee-Table Folio (4to), 160 pages. Profusely illustrated with a sweeping collection of vibrant, full-colour aerial landscape and lifestyle photographs printed across heavy-gauge gloss art stock. Dimensions: Approx. 42.1 x 32.3 x 1.8 cm. Weight: Approx. 2.3 kg.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Near Fine (NF) / Mint
- Exterior / Boards: The oversized cloth boards are in pristine, immaculate condition—exceptionally flat, rigid, and completely square. Corners are razor-sharp and free of standard shelf indentation or bumping. The heavy spine is perfectly upright, straight, and structurally flawless.
- Interior: The massive text block is robustly bound, tight, and completely fresh. Internal pages and brilliant aerial color plates are perfectly crisp, immaculate, and bright white. Free of standard user highlights, dog-ears, or ex-library stamps.
- Provenance: Pristine collector's state; entirely free of modern previous owner signatures, gift dedications, or dealer pencil markings.
- Protection: Kept pristine and safely enclosed within a tight archival-grade protective cellophane sleeve.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Condition: Exceptionally bright, clean, and unclipped. Displays only very limited, microscopic signs of handling and minimal edge storage friction, completely consistent with careful archival housing. Free of any major tearing, chips, or sun-fading.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published by the prestigious house of Struik in 1990, South African Landshapes, Landscapes, Manscapes is a rare milestone in South African environmental photography and visual art. This monumental work stands unique among traditional photographic surveys, inviting the observer to look afresh at the delicate and sensitive skin of the South African subcontinent through a daringly original lens.
The vast majority of the images were meticulously captured from the air by the legendary master of aerial photography, Herman Potgieter. His lens maps out stunning, abstract compositions of the earth's surface—unveiling the intricate shapes, vivid colours, shifting patterns, and raw geomorphic textures of the wilderness. These natural wonders are contrasted against "manscapes"—the geometric and visual impacts of human activity on the land. Complemented by the lyrical, deeply reflective text of acclaimed South African poet and scholar Guy Butler, this large coffee-table masterpiece serves as an important ecological archive and an artistic triumph for collectors of high-end Africana and 20th-century photography.
Author & Photographer Profile
- Guy Butler (1918–2001): One of South Africa's most highly distinguished poets, playwrights, and academics. Serving as the long-time Professor of English at Rhodes University, Butler was a towering cultural figure who dedicated his life to exploring the complex identity, history, and landscapes of South Africa. His literary prose infuses this visual collection with profound historical and philosophical depth.
- Herman Potgieter (1953–1998): Internationally acclaimed as one of the world's premier aviation and aerial documentary photographers. Known for his unparalleled technical precision and artistic composure while shooting from open aircraft, his breathtaking perspectives transformed the field of geographic photography across Southern Africa.
High-Value Search Phrases: South African Landshapes Guy Butler hardcover, Herman Potgieter aerial photography books, rare Struik publishers coffee table books, collectible Africana landscape photography, out of print South Africa aerial views 1990.
