“Not a guidebook, not a history book, not a propaganda brochure, not a traveller’s impressions, but instead equivalent to the conversation we would like to have with someone intelligent and well versed in the country that interests us” was Marker’s interpretation of this beautiful little book.
The books in question are part of Chris Marker's Petite Planète series. This particular one is an English edition of his guide to Italy, published by Vista Books. Originally published by Editions de Seuil. Chris Marker was a French writer, photographer, documentary film director, multimedia artist and film essayist among other things. Best known for his films La Jetée, A Grin Without a Cat and Sans Soleil.
The complete series consists of 28 titles in total, all under the direction of Chris Marker and all of which feature cover images of women's faces. The most beautiful film in the world, according to Marker, was Carl Theodore Dreyer’s 1928 The Passion of Joan of Arc with its torrent of close ups of Maria Falconetti’s face. The women that stare out from the Petite Planète book covers are Markers ode to Falconetti.
