The history of photography began nearly 200 years ago, but only relatively recently has it been fully recognized as a medium in its own right. Cologne''''''''s Museum Ludwig was the first museum of contemporary art to devote a substantial section to inte rnational photography. The L. Fritz Gruber collection, from which this book is drawn, is one of the most important in Germany and one of the most representative anywhere in the world, constituting the core of the museum''''''''s holdings.