Flowers is a meticulous facsimile of William Eggleston’s third rare artist book, which was originally published in 1978 by Caldecott Chubb in a strictly limited edition of only 15 copies. This Steidl edition honors the original design—a linen-bound volume that emulates the look and feel of a personal photo album. The work features twelve color photographs where flowers take center stage in all their “mundane glory,” ranging from a kitsch spray of gladioli in a cut-glass vase to a forlorn bunch on a marble tomb inscribed “Mama.” These images are not traditional botanical studies; instead, they are snapshots of the American South where foliage and blossoms are treated with the same formal reverence as a rusted car or a neon sign. This volume is a vital chapter in Steidl’s ongoing project to expose Eggleston’s rarest early artist books to a wider public while maintaining the spirit of the original handmade editions.
