Edgar Domingo Evia y Joutard, known professionally as Edgar de Evia (July 30, 1910 – February 10, 2003), was a Mexican-born American interiors photographer.
[edit]Photographic self-portrait by Edgar de Evia reflected with the oil portrait by M. Jean McLane of himself as a child (circa 1990).Edgar de Evia, c.1930Logo designed by Edgar de Evia
In 1942, homeopathic physician Guy Beckley Stearns and de Evia contributed an essay called "The New Synthesis", For the Laurie's Domestic Medicine medical guide.[1]
In a review of the book, The New York Times stated that "Black and white [photography] is frequently interspersed through the book and serves as a reminder that black and white still has a useful place, even in a world of color, often more convincingly as well. This is pointed up rather persuasively in the portfolio on Edgar de Evia as a 'master of still life' and in the one devoted to the work of Réne Groebli."[2] "Editorial high-key food photography was introduced by Edgar D'Evia in 1953 for the pages of Good Housekeeping."[3]
Melvin Sokolsky, a fashion photographer who has created images for Harpers Bazaar and Vogue, considered Edgar de Evia one of his earliest influences, saying, "I discovered that Edgar was paid $4,000 for a Jell-O ad, and the idea of escaping from my tenement dwelling became an incredible dream and inspiration."[4]
De Evia also produced commissioned photographic portraits of individuals, including Polish-American violinist Roman Totenberg[5] and the American fashion designer Ralph Lauren.[6]
Books that have been illustrated with de Evia's photography include:
The American Annual of Photography, New York: American Photography Book Department, 1953.
Good Housekeeping Book of Home Decoration by Mary L. Brandt, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1957.
Picture Cookbook by The Editors of Life, Mary Hamman, Editor, New York, NY: Time, Inc., 1958. Second edition 1959, Third edition 1960.
The Spacemaker Book by Ellen Liman, Nancy Stahl and Lewis Wilson, New York: Viking Press, 1977.
Fashion: The Inside Story by Barbaralee Diamonstein, New York: Rizzoli, 1985
House & Garden's Best in Decoration by the Editors of House & Garden, New York: Condé Nast Books, Random House, 1987. De Evia's photos include the front jacket.
Glamour's On The Run by Jane Kirby, Glamour Food Editor, New York: Condé Nast Books, Villard Books, 1987. De Evia's photos include the front & back jacket.
Interior Design by John F. Pile, New York: H.N. Abrams, 1988.
The Tiffany Gourmet CookbookbyJohn Loring, New York: Doubleday, 1992.
House Beautiful Decorating Style by Carol Cooper Garey, Hearst Books, 2005. 1992 edition published by Hearst Communications.
De Evia worked for Borden Ice Cream (Lady Borden campaign 1956–1960),[13]Celanese Corporation,[14]Gorham Silver,[15] hats by Mr. John of John-Frederics,[16] Leather Industries of America,[17] Maximilian Furs (1950s, all ads had the credit "DeEvia"), McCall's patterns (all ads had the credit "Photograph by Edgar de Evia"),.[18]
In the 1950s, de Evia's companion and business partner was Robert Denning, who worked in his studio and who would become a leading American interior designer and partner in the firm Denning & Fourcade.[19]
^
Moskowitz, Richard (9 August 2011). "An Appreciation Of Our Literature". The New England Journal of Homeopathy. 10 (1) (Spring/Summer 2001 ed.).
^"Color in Review: Popular Photography's Color Annual Surveys Medium's Current Status", The New York Times, 19 May 1957, page X17
^Advertising Directions by Edward M Gottschall and Arthur Hawkins, New York: Art Directions Book Co., 1996.
^Melvin Sokolsky’s Affinities by Martin Harrison as reproduced on the web Melvin Sokolsky Seeing Fashion retrieved June 29, 2006. For a career-wide view of Sokolsky's work, see his website. For reference to his work for Vogue and other publications, see Sokolsky interviewArchived 2011-10-04 at the Wayback Machine at bauhaus.com]
^De Evia's photographic portrait of Totenberg is featured in the article "Among the Week's Recitalists", The New York Times, 28 March 1948, p. X7.
^1978 photograph featured in the article『New York Look – Saturday in the Park with Ralph』by Jada Yuan & Amy Odell, New York, 26 November 2007 online. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
^Studies in Tone Gradation—the hallmark of excellence #60, 1975
^"Vincent Fourcade – Celebrating the pleasures of magnificent excess", by Mitchell Owens, Architectural Digest, January 2000, v. 57 #1, p. 169 – one of twenty five persons named by the magazine "Interior Design Legends".
