Menschen des 20. Jahrhunderts : Portraitphotographien von 1892-1952

by August Sander

1980

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Publication

München : Schirmer/Mosel, 1980.

Description

With People of the 20th Century, August Sander created a monumental work that is unique in the history of photography and a classic of photographic literature. Sander conceived this large-scale project, which he ultimately never completed, in the 1920s. He was to spend the rest of his life working on it, his objective nothing less than a complete typological portrait of contemporary society. Hundreds of portraits classified according to professional, social or family criteria were to provide a representative picture of the various social groups. He envisaged seven groups labeled: "The Farmer", "The Skilled Tradesman", "The Woman", "Classes and Professions", "The Artists", "The City" and--on the theme of age, illness and death--"The Last People". We have now condensed out 2002 seven-volume edition of the artist's complete oeuvre into one large volume presenting "the essential" People of the 20th Century.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member j-b-colson
One has to spend time with these volumes to appreciate their contents and the accomplishments of producing them. The reproductions are remarkably fine. One of the greatest masters of the posed photographic portrait, Sander deserves this kind of attention to his effort. Rarely does a concept as
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grand as Sander's get so far in its execution, so well edited, preserved and finely reproduced for significant distribution (the volumes are tri-lingual). His project, "to get a total picture of society" was. of course, impossible. But in his reach he created a masterwork that stands out in the history of photography. With costume, pose, and environment, he bares the question, how much understanding can photography communicate with just these elements? To suggest any answer requires a serious study of these fine seven volumes.
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Physical description

544 p.; 30 cm

ISBN

3921375428 / 9783921375426

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