Peter Behrens (1868 - 1940) - photo 1

Peter Behrens

Peter Behrens was a seminal figure in modern design and architecture, heralded as the first industrial designer and a pioneer in modernist architecture. Born in Hamburg, Germany, Behrens's influence spanned across various domains, including architecture, industrial design, and graphic design. His holistic design approach was revolutionary, encompassing everything from architectural projects to corporate identities.

Behrens's association with AEG (Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft) marked a significant chapter in his career. Hired as an artistic consultant in 1907, he crafted a comprehensive corporate identity for AEG, including the iconic AEG Turbine Factory (1909), a hallmark of industrial classicism and modernism. This work is celebrated for its pioneering approach to industrial architecture and design, integrating form and function with unprecedented clarity and coherence​​​​.

His architectural ventures displayed a versatility and an evolution of style, from the monumental, stripped classical form seen in the German Embassy in St Petersburg (1912) and the Administration Building for Continental AG in Hannover (1912-1914), to the expressive Brick Expressionism of the Technical Administration Building of Hoechst AG in Frankfurt (1920-1924)​​. Behrens's work in the 1920s, including the design for the 'New Ways' house in Northampton, UK, and contributions to the Weissenhof Estate in Stuttgart, underscored his shift towards New Objectivity and modernist principles​​.

Moreover, Behrens's educational contributions were profound, with his teaching stints at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna influencing a new generation of architects, including luminaries such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, and Walter Gropius, who would themselves go on to define the course of 20th-century architecture​​.

Behrens's legacy is a testament to the transformative power of design, illustrating how integrated and forward-thinking approaches can redefine our built environment and the objects we use daily. His work remains an essential study for collectors, experts in art and antiques, and anyone interested in the evolution of modern design and architecture.

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Date and place of birt:14 april 1868, Hamburg, Germany
Date and place of death:27 february 1940, Berlin, Germany
Nationality:Germany
Period of activity: XIX, XX century
Specialization:Architect, Artist, Designer, Illustrator
Art school / group:Düsseldorf school of painting, Munich Secession, Bauhaus
Art style:Constructivism
Behrens, Peter - Now at the auction

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Creators Germany

 Ludwig Heitland (1837 - 1911)
Ludwig Heitland
1837 - 1911
Januarius Zick (1730 - 1797)
Januarius Zick
1730 - 1797
Hartwig Ebersbach (1940)
Hartwig Ebersbach
1940
Isa Genzken (1948)
Isa Genzken
1948
Friedrich Eibner (1825 - 1877)
Friedrich Eibner
1825 - 1877
Hanns Lautensack (1524 - 1565)
Hanns Lautensack
1524 - 1565
Friedrich Carl Mayer (1824 - 1903)
Friedrich Carl Mayer
1824 - 1903
Karl Theodor Eichler (1868 - 1946)
Karl Theodor Eichler
1868 - 1946
Nikolai Ivanovich Istselennov (1891 - 1981)
Nikolai Ivanovich Istselennov
1891 - 1981
Tom Leonhardt (1958)
Tom Leonhardt
1958
Louis Reinhardt (1849 - 1870)
Louis Reinhardt
1849 - 1870
Elmar Hillebrand (1925 - 2016)
Elmar Hillebrand
1925 - 2016
Raimund Girke (1930 - 2002)
Raimund Girke
1930 - 2002
Hermann Standl (1964)
Hermann Standl
1964
Anton Maringer (1902 - 1974)
Anton Maringer
1902 - 1974
Rudolf Belling (1886 - 1972)
Rudolf Belling
1886 - 1972

Creators Constructivism

 Hirschi (1947)
Hirschi
1947
Bernd Damke (1939 - 2022)
Bernd Damke
1939 - 2022
Theodore Roszak (1907 - 1981)
Theodore Roszak
1907 - 1981
Boris Solomonovich Aronson (1898 - 1980)
Boris Solomonovich Aronson
1898 - 1980
Varvara Fyodorovna Stepanova (1894 - 1958)
Varvara Fyodorovna Stepanova
1894 - 1958
Vyacheslav Fomich Koleychuk (1941 - 2018)
Vyacheslav Fomich Koleychuk
1941 - 2018
Victor Popov (1952)
Victor Popov
1952
Sandor Bortnik (1893 - 1976)
Sandor Bortnik
1893 - 1976
Mikhail Fedorovich Andrienko-Nechytailo (1894 - 1982)
Mikhail Fedorovich Andrienko-Nechytailo
1894 - 1982
Thilo Maatsch (1900 - 1983)
Thilo Maatsch
1900 - 1983
Achille Castiglioni (1918 - 2002)
Achille Castiglioni
1918 - 2002
Michael Quistrebert (1982)
Michael Quistrebert
1982
Erol Akyavaş (1932 - 1999)
Erol Akyavaş
1932 - 1999
Detlef Beer (1963)
Detlef Beer
1963
Marc Eemans (1907 - 1998)
Marc Eemans
1907 - 1998
Carl Buchheister (1890 - 1964)
Carl Buchheister
1890 - 1964
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