Tom Adler, an aficionado of old photographs and a client of ICLA for many years discovered some absolutely beautiful Lucien Gauthier photographs while traveling in Europe. Taken and recorded on glass negatives at the turn of the 20^thcentury, Lucien Gauthier captured the primitive island culture of Tahiti at that moment in time.

Motivated by the images, Tom sought out Serge Kakou, the owner of the Lucien Gauthier Tahiti negatives, to see if he would consider allowing Tom create a book around his work. Fortunately, the answer was “yes” and Tahitian Beauties became the result of that collaboration.

A beautifully executed pictorial of Tahitian life at the dawn of the 20^th century, Lucien Gauthier’s images let the viewer travel leisurely and embrace the pleasant nonchalance of the climate and the natives. He captures the features and a certain reflection of the soul of the Polynesian people, as he photographs their lives in native dress in the pristine island paradise of Tahiti. His vision filtered reality so that only beauty remained, forever seeking perfect landscapes and the peace that accompanies their contemplation.

Comprised of 136-page smyth sewn case bound book, Lucien Gauthier’s images are captured as 4 color quadtones on a natural white matte coated paper. The book is quarter bound with a printed, matte laminated cover and black linen cloth on the spine. The book is finished with a white silkscreened 4 mil frosted PVC dust jacket that protects and beautifies the book.

From across time and by means of photosensitive emulsion, Gauthier’s photographs in Tahitian Beauties invite us today to follow him through his ideal land, realm of azure seas and island breezes.