If one subscribes to the adage that a book truly can't be told by it's cover, one most likely will not be surprised to learn that photographs, when they first started appearing on book jackets, were not considered the most important elements in a volume's production, and, initially at least, often went uncredited. Bruce Davidson has at least two early covers in this collection, and, along with Henri Cartier-Bresson, was one of the first Magnum photographers to have his work appear credited on book jackets. KB

Covering Photography is a web-based archive and resource for the study of the relationship between the history of photography and book cover design. Read more about the project.