Photography — A1185: From a Magnificent Private Collection
Lothar Wolleh is a German photographer.
Lothar Wolleh had a difficult fate: after the war he spent many years first in Allied captivity and then in the USSR, and only after returning to Berlin in 1956 was he able to resume his education at Lette-Verein, the school of photography, design and fashion.
As one of the most expensive and well-known photographers in the FRG of the 1960s, Wolleh worked successfully in fashion and advertising, collaborating with Deutsche Bundesbahn, Tchibo and Volkswagen. In 1969, Wolleh traveled around the Soviet Union for several months. Photographs taken on this trip were included in the illustrated book "The USSR - The Soviet State and its People", published in 1970.
But Wolleh's greatest fame and popularity came from his 109 portraits of contemporary artists. He began this series in the late 1960s and devoted all the following years of his life to it. His works are so recognizable and distinctive that they often became the reference portraits of the photographed artists.
Joseph Heinrich Beuys was a German artist, renowned for his significant contributions to the realms of sculpture, painting, and installation art, which have left a lasting impact on the culture and art world. His work transcended traditional boundaries, merging art with social theory and politics, thus redefining the role of the artist in society. Beuys's unique approach to materials, incorporating substances like fat and felt, symbolized healing and insulation, reflecting his broader philosophical and ecological concerns.
Beuys's art was deeply influenced by his experiences during World War II and his academic background in natural sciences and sculpture. His concept of "social sculpture" proposed that art could transform society, emphasizing creativity as a fundamental component of human existence. This vision led him to use his performances, or "actions," as a medium to communicate his ideas, making him a pivotal figure in the Fluxus movement. Notable works such as "How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare" and "7000 Oaks" exemplify his innovative use of performance and environmental art to engage and challenge the public.
His legacy is preserved in major museums and galleries worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate Modern in London. These institutions house key pieces that exemplify Beuys's diverse artistic output, from his early drawings and sculptures to his later installations and public interventions. His influence extends beyond the art world, impacting environmental activism and educational reform, underscoring his belief in the transformative power of art.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Joseph Heinrich Beuys remains a figure of immense interest, not only for his groundbreaking artworks but also for his profound impact on contemporary art theory and practice. To stay informed about new product sales and auction events related to Beuys, we invite you to sign up for updates. This subscription ensures you are always in the loop regarding opportunities to engage with the enduring legacy of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Lothar Wolleh is a German photographer.
Lothar Wolleh had a difficult fate: after the war he spent many years first in Allied captivity and then in the USSR, and only after returning to Berlin in 1956 was he able to resume his education at Lette-Verein, the school of photography, design and fashion.
As one of the most expensive and well-known photographers in the FRG of the 1960s, Wolleh worked successfully in fashion and advertising, collaborating with Deutsche Bundesbahn, Tchibo and Volkswagen. In 1969, Wolleh traveled around the Soviet Union for several months. Photographs taken on this trip were included in the illustrated book "The USSR - The Soviet State and its People", published in 1970.
But Wolleh's greatest fame and popularity came from his 109 portraits of contemporary artists. He began this series in the late 1960s and devoted all the following years of his life to it. His works are so recognizable and distinctive that they often became the reference portraits of the photographed artists.
Brassaï, whose real name was Gyula Halász, was a Hungarian-French artist and photographer best known for his work documenting the streets of Paris during the 1920s and 1930s. He was one of the key figures of the Surrealist movement and his work continues to influence photographers and artists to this day.
Brassaï moved to Paris in the 1920s to pursue a career in art. He initially worked as a journalist and began taking photographs to accompany his articles. However, it was his nocturnal photographs of the city that would bring him international fame.
Brassaï's photographs of the streets of Paris at night captured the city's seedier side, including its prostitutes, bars, and cabarets. His work is known for its use of dramatic lighting and strong contrast, which helped to create a moody, evocative atmosphere.
In addition to his photography, Brassaï was also a talented painter and sculptor. He was a close friend of many of the leading artists and writers of the time, including Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Henry Miller.
Brassaï's work has been exhibited in major museums and galleries around the world, and his photographs have been published in numerous books and magazines. He was one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century, and his legacy continues to inspire artists and photographers today.
Sebastião Ribeiro Salgado is a Brazilian social documentary photographer and photojournalist.
He has traveled in over 120 countries for his photographic projects. Most of these have appeared in numerous press publications and books. Touring exhibitions of his work have been presented throughout the world.
Salgado is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He was awarded the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Grant in 1982, Foreign Honorary Membership of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1992 and the Royal Photographic Society's Centenary Medal and Honorary Fellowship (HonFRPS) in 1993. He has been a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts at the Institut de France since April 2016.
Elger Esser is a German landscape photographer, living in Düsseldorf. "He is primarily associated with large-format images of European lowlands with his characteristic low horizon lines, pale luminous colours and vast skies".
Esser's work is held in many public collections such as the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art in New York. He has won the Rheinischer Kunstpreis and the Oskar Schlemmer Prize.
John Baeder is an American painter closely associated with the photorealist movement. He is best known for his detailed paintings of American roadside diners and eateries. His interest in small towns across America began when he was young by photographing old cars and other relics. He started working as an art director in Atlanta for a branch of a New York advertising agency in 1960, and subsequently moved to New York City in 1964. He went on to have a successful career in advertising through the early 1970s, while continuing to paint, draw and photograph on his own time. Baeder left the advertising field in 1972 to pursue his artistic career full-time. The same year, OK Harris Gallery in New York began exhibiting his artworks. Since then, he has had more than thirty solo exhibitions at art galleries. His work includes oil paintings, watercolors and photographs. Baeder’s work aims to chronicle the disappearing aspects of American culture. Baeder is the recipient of the Tennessee Governor's Distinguished Artist Award in 2009.
William Eggleston is an American photographer. He is widely credited with increasing recognition for color photography as a legitimate artistic medium. Eggleston's books include William Eggleston's Guide (1976) and The Democratic Forest (1989).
Hermann Nitsch was an Austrian contemporary artist and composer. His art encompassed wide-scale performances incorporating theater, multimedia, rituals and acted violence. He was a leading figure of Viennese Actionism.
William Klein was an American-born French photographer and filmmaker noted for his ironic approach to both media and his extensive use of unusual photographic techniques in the context of photojournalism and fashion photography. He was ranked 25th on Professional Photographer's list of 100 most influential photographers.
Klein trained as a painter, studying under Fernand Léger, and found early success with exhibitions of his work. He soon moved on to photography and achieved widespread fame as a fashion photographer for Vogue and for his photo essays on various cities. He directed feature-length fiction films, numerous short and feature-length documentaries and produced over 250 television commercials.