%C2%A9 Die Photographische Sammlung%2FSK Stiftung Kultur %E2%80%93 August Sander Archiv%2C Cologne %2F Artists Rights Society %28ARS%29%2C New York 2017
The Wife of the Painter Peter Abelen, Cologne, 1926
August Sander; Printer: Gunther Sanderexpand_more
Gelatin silver printexpand_more
The Mr. and Mrs. Harrison R. Johnston Jr. Fundexpand_more 77.68.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
August Sander's ambitious portrait series, "Citizens of the Twentieth Century" ("Menschen de 20, Jahrhunderts"), comprises more than five hundred photographs. Intended as a physiognomic profile of the German people, the series included a range of sociological subjects, from peasants to statesmen. Sander believed the human physiognomy offered evidence of one's profession and psychological state.
This portrait of painter and architect Peter Abelen's wife, Helene, is from the series. According to Gerhard Sander, the photographer's grandson, the painter liked his wife to wear unusual costumes such as the one she wears here. The portrait also illustrates how perceptions of women's independence were shifting in Germany in the 1920s.
Details
- Title
- The Wife of the Painter Peter Abelen, Cologne
- Artist Life
- 1876–1964
- Role
- Photographer
- Accession Number
- 77.68.2
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
© Die Photographische Sammlung/SK Stiftung Kultur – August Sander Archiv, Cologne / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York 2017