H. G. Wells. by COBURN, Alvin Langdon - 1913

London & New York: Duckworth & Co. & Mitchell Kennerley 1913. Coburn's book of portraits "Men of Mark" (followed some years later by More Men of Mark) features 33 portraits of artists, thinkers and writers such as George Bernard Shaw, H. G. Wells, Henry James, Auguste Rodin, Henri Matisse, Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, William Butler Yeats etc. Coburn's introductory text provides a running commentary on his pursuit of his subjects and their eventual capture on film. 'To make satisfactory photographs of persons it is necessary for me to like them, to admire them, or at least to be interested in them. It is rather curious and difficult to exactly explain, but if I dislike my subject it is sure to come out in the resulting portrait. I had thought of using 'Men of Genius' as the title for this book, but Arnold Bennett objected seriously, saying, very modestly, that he did not consider himself a man of genius, but merely a working author, and absolutely refusing to join the throng unless I changed it, so I told him that if he would give me a better one I would use it. 'Men of Mark' is his alternative.' Printed plate number bottom left and facsimile signature of the sitter bottom right. Monochrome photogravure. Very good condition. Image size: 22 x 17.3 cm. Presented in a black wooden frame.