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

Anton Windmaier (1840 - 1896)
Anton Windmaier
1840 - 1896
Wolfgang Werkmeister (1941)
Wolfgang Werkmeister
1941
Alfred Vogel (1914)
Alfred Vogel
1914
Martin Kippenberger (1953 - 1997)
Martin Kippenberger
1953 - 1997
Hans Deiker (1876 - 1945)
Hans Deiker
1876 - 1945
Julius Paul Schmidt-Felling (1835 - 1920)
Julius Paul Schmidt-Felling
1835 - 1920
Hermann Josef Mispelbaum (1944)
Hermann Josef Mispelbaum
1944
Fritz Neumann (1880 - 1930)
Fritz Neumann
1880 - 1930
Michael Schoenholtz (1937 - 2019)
Michael Schoenholtz
1937 - 2019
Friedrich Wilhelm Kaulbach (1822 - 1903)
Friedrich Wilhelm Kaulbach
1822 - 1903
Louis Eysen (1843 - 1899)
Louis Eysen
1843 - 1899
Matthias Grünewald (1470 - 1528)
Matthias Grünewald
1470 - 1528
Christian Brandl (1970)
Christian Brandl
1970
Wilhelm Steuerwaldt (1815 - 1871)
Wilhelm Steuerwaldt
1815 - 1871
Berthold Müller-Oerlinghausen (1893 - 1979)
Berthold Müller-Oerlinghausen
1893 - 1979
Dietrich Langko (1819 - 1896)
Dietrich Langko
1819 - 1896

Creators Constructivism

Antonina Nikolaevna Semenova (1928 - 2015)
Antonina Nikolaevna Semenova
1928 - 2015
Edmund Kesting (1892 - 1970)
Edmund Kesting
1892 - 1970
Alejandro Corujeira (1961)
Alejandro Corujeira
1961
Gyula Derkovits (1894 - 1934)
Gyula Derkovits
1894 - 1934
Theodore Roszak (1907 - 1981)
Theodore Roszak
1907 - 1981
Fritz Burger-Mühlfeld (1882 - 1969)
Fritz Burger-Mühlfeld
1882 - 1969
Julio Alpuy (1919 - 2009)
Julio Alpuy
1919 - 2009
Vadim Georgievich Meller (1884 - 1962)
Vadim Georgievich Meller
1884 - 1962
Bernd Damke (1939 - 2022)
Bernd Damke
1939 - 2022
Peter Lanyon (1918 - 1964)
Peter Lanyon
1918 - 1964
Paul Michel (1951)
Paul Michel
1951
Michael Mattern (1946)
Michael Mattern
1946
Ludolfs Liberts (1895 - 1959)
Ludolfs Liberts
1895 - 1959
Ilya Grigoryevich Erenburg (Ehrenburg) (1891 - 1967)
Ilya Grigoryevich Erenburg (Ehrenburg)
1891 - 1967
Lajos Kassák (1887 - 1967)
Lajos Kassák
1887 - 1967
Ivan Vasilievich Kliun (1873 - 1943)
Ivan Vasilievich Kliun
1873 - 1943
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