August Sander German Portrait Artist

Mother in Grief and Joy In 1922, Sanders set out on his bicycle to sample the surrounding German country side. His goal, to create a portrait of a people. He wanted to portray the “modern” German society and represent them through a sampling of photographic portraits. Although his goal was 600 photographs, he published a much smaller number in a book in Unfortunately, the Nazi’s banned his book, raided his studio, burned many of his negatives and turned him into a fugitive. They felt his portrayal did not represent the “master race” they wished to create.

What different occupations is Sander’s representing? The Earthbound Farmer

He titles these slides “peasant couple” and “peasant” woman… What characteristics is he striving to capture in the German peasants?

Farmer and Wife

Mother and Daughter

What made Sanders want to photograph this farming family? What is similar/different from farming families you know? Farming Generations

What does this pose achieve? Why use it twice? Peasant Woman

Facial expressions And props

Sanders probably took paid portraits of wealthy persons as he traveled throughout Germany. Yet, none of these appear in any of his published works. What makes these portraits “worthy” of publication over ones he might have been commissioned to do? Police Officer

Or these? High School Student Member of Parliament Industrial Magistrate Franz Wilhelm Selwert

What does Sanders show about the relationships in these pictures? Compare them “posed” to “unposed”. Bohemians Indian Man and German Woman

Several photographs feature people of the circus. What was their social status during this time? How does Sanders portray them? Young Girl in Circus Caravan

The Wise Shepherd

What elements contribute to the mood of this portrait of the bricklayer’s mate?

Does this portrait support or dispel stereotypes about the Nazis?

Sanders set out to create a portrait of the German people. Did he succeed? Whom would you photograph to create a portrait of Pennsylvania people? The right eye of my daughter Singrid