August Sander

1876-1964

Background Timeline

• 1876- Born in Herdorf, Germany

• 1897-1899 Military service as a photographers assistant

• 1911- He started his vast body of work, people of the 20th century

• 1927 -Travelled through Sardinia taking over 500 photos for this project

• 1929- Face of the Time

• 1934-His son Eric was arrested

• 1942-He moved out of Cologne into a rural area, his studio was destroyed in a bombing raid in 1944

Photographic Style• Predominantly a portrait photographer, but occasionally

landscapes and architecture. • His photos were often taken at a long exposure, meaning his

subjects had to be still for several seconds. This also meant they had to be in a relaxed, comfortable posture.

• His portrait work was not limited to certain classes, not did he attempt to glorify the Arian race.

• Often worked in mid close up, which helps to establish eye contact between the subject and the viewer.

Portrait work in Nazi Germany

• ‘People of the 21st Century’

• In this project, Sander aimed to show a cross section of society during the Weimar Republic. The vast project is divided into 7 sections.

• He also did Jewish pass port pictures so they could leave the country.

The Farmer

• Men, women and children. Family contribution to work on the land. A representation of work ethic in society as well as lifestyle (entertainment, routine, culture)

• This section was mostly shot outside, to help capture these peoples environment and emphasize their personalities.

The Skilled Tradesman

• This part of his project focused around the professions of skilled manual works, builders, miners, cooks ect.

Perhaps one of his most famous pictures

Woman• The fact women are divided into their own separate section

suggests how society of 1940’s Germany considers women's roles.

• Sander chose to photograph women, perhaps because he thought they were under appreciated.

• Although society may not have divided women by profession, his work shows a distinct divide in class.

Classes and Professions• It is quite evident through the ‘look’ of his pictures what sorts of

professions his subjects do and which social class they belong in.

• This is partly due to what they're wearing, how they look at the camera, the setting in which they have been positioned and the way in which Sander photographed them (eg lighting, framing and background).

• He wasn't afraid to photograph all aspects of profession and class, including the national socialists, as well as different ethnicities and the disabled, these sorts people were condemned by the Nazi regime.

The Artist• Painters, musicians and photographers.• Sander was part of a left wing group of artists called ‘The

Cologne Progressives’.

The City

• Sander captured the varied life of the city with portfolios dedicated to urban youth, street life, traveling people, festivities, servants, foreign workers, and the unemployed.

The Last People• The last section of his project, entitled ‘The Last People’

included elderly, sick, idiots, the insane and dying members of society. Perhaps the title suggests how society has placed these people at the bottom.

• He approached many of these subjects with respect and engagement, since society didn't’t have such qualities for these people.

Our Interpretations and thoughts

• Throughout his work on people of the 20th century, Sander searched for people who fulfilled a role in society, yet remained an individual human being.

• He has inspired many contemporary photographers such as Dianna Arbus and Mark Seliger.

• For us his work is technically very minimal and simple. However this style is very effective in helping to bring out the characters and personalities of his subjects. We as viewers engage with his work not necessarily because of the photo, but because the people within them.

Conclusion

• Sander died in 1964 after succumbing to a stroke.

• His work and legacy lives on through history

• He has been described as ‘the most important German photographer of the early twentieth century’

Questions?

• Thoughts and opinions?

• Do you think the pictures you’ve seen in the presentation reveal a new, perhaps more humane vision of Nazi Germany and some of the people struggling and living within it?

Reference• Sander A., Sander G. and Mann G. (1997).

August Sander Photographer Extraordinary. London: Thames and Hudson.

• Sander, A. and Hartz, J. (1977). August Sander. London: Gordon Fraser.

• Sander A., Lange S., Döblin A. and Heiting M. (1999). August Sander, 1876-1964. Köln, London: Taschen.

• Sander G. and Schreier C. (1997). August Sander “In photography there are no unexplained shadows!”. London: The Gallery.

• N/A. (2000). In Focus: August Sander: Photographs from the J. Paul Getty Museum. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum.

• MoMA – The Museum of Modern Art, 2009. The Collection – August Sander. [online] Available at: <http://www.moma.org/collection/artist.php?artist_id=5145> [Accessed 8 October 2012]

• The J. Paul Getty Museum, N/A. Artists – August Sander. [online] Available at: < http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artMakerDetails?maker=1786&page=1> [Accessed 8 October 2012]