I found this wonderful book, "The First Picture Book", in one of our local vintage/antique shops. What a surprise to find it full of photos by the famous early 20th century photographer, Edward Steichen! This book was prepared by Mary Steichen Martin, Edward's daughter, in 1930. It was meant to be a book for babies with pictures of everyday things a baby would encounter and be familiar with. Here is an excerpt from the preface by Mary Steichen Martin:"When my two children reached the stage of interest in pictures, search found practically none which could be considered either satisying to them or in line with modern educational theory. Therefore I set about providing a book of such pictures, not only for my own but for other children faced with a similar need. The pictures here presented have had the seal of approval of the children in a progressive country nursery school, ranging in age from one and a half years upward.
She goes on to make a wonderful point, which I think is just as important today in 2011 as it was in 1930:
"...but to a baby everything is 'wonder-full'. Too often adults forget this and try to provide thrills, but when the adult has a sympathetic attitude he can help the baby to find plenty of enthralling experience in the daily doings and sights of modern life."
You can read more about the author here, and read a couple more excerpts from the book here in my Etsy shop.
