Lot Essay
The Dadaist painter, Anton Räderscheidt (1892-1960?) was one of several figures from the avant-garde that Sander photographed in the mid-twenties. (Better known was his fellow Dadaist Raoul Hausmann whom Sander photographed both alone and together with his wife and mistress.) In 1919, Räderscheidt, his wife Marta, Heinrich Hoerle, Franz Wilhelm Seiwert and others formed a group of painters in Cologne that collaborated on an art revue (with a typically Dadaist title, "Stupid"). Räderschedit also worked briefly with Max Ernst on another art journal, "Bulletin D".
August Sander's pursuit of all types of occupations to photograph led him to the colorful local artists. Several members of the Cologne group sat for him, sometimes in their ateliers but most often in the quiet and reserved mode of Sander's style. (See: Sander, Citizens of the Twentieth Century, pls. 319, 320, 322 and 323).
When the Nazis came to power in 1933, it made it impossible for Räderscheidt, like many other artists viewed as subversives, to continue working. He left for Paris where, until 1942, he was able to paint. While there he exhibied twice, first in 1936 and then again in 1938. When it became too dangerous to stay in occupied Paris, he fled to Bern where, in 1944, he was included in the exhibition, "Refugee Painters". After the war he returned to Paris and then, finally, settled once more in Cologne in 1950.
This portrait of Räderscheidt is surprisingly casual. Gerd Sander, the photographer's grandson from whom the print was purchased, has noted that August Sander eventually preferred stiffer poses when considering a choice of negatives to print, exhibit and publish. This may account for the lack of any other known example of this particular negative. Given the general severity of Sander's eye, Räderscheidt appears here more relaxed than in the published version. Räderscheidt coyly clasping his hands behind his back, shifts his weight to asymmetry and leans slightly forward. Sander, the precise typologist, reduces the figure to a silhouette; all attention is focused on the painter's visage. Withheld is the detail of the lit cigarette in the painter's gloved left hand which appears in the other known version. One might consider as well that it would be anathema for either the respectable photographer or his bohemian subject to toss the smoking butt onto the emaculately swept streets of pre-War Cologne.
This print may be unique. No other prints are known to exist of this image.
This print was acquired in May, 1982.
August Sander's pursuit of all types of occupations to photograph led him to the colorful local artists. Several members of the Cologne group sat for him, sometimes in their ateliers but most often in the quiet and reserved mode of Sander's style. (See: Sander, Citizens of the Twentieth Century, pls. 319, 320, 322 and 323).
When the Nazis came to power in 1933, it made it impossible for Räderscheidt, like many other artists viewed as subversives, to continue working. He left for Paris where, until 1942, he was able to paint. While there he exhibied twice, first in 1936 and then again in 1938. When it became too dangerous to stay in occupied Paris, he fled to Bern where, in 1944, he was included in the exhibition, "Refugee Painters". After the war he returned to Paris and then, finally, settled once more in Cologne in 1950.
This portrait of Räderscheidt is surprisingly casual. Gerd Sander, the photographer's grandson from whom the print was purchased, has noted that August Sander eventually preferred stiffer poses when considering a choice of negatives to print, exhibit and publish. This may account for the lack of any other known example of this particular negative. Given the general severity of Sander's eye, Räderscheidt appears here more relaxed than in the published version. Räderscheidt coyly clasping his hands behind his back, shifts his weight to asymmetry and leans slightly forward. Sander, the precise typologist, reduces the figure to a silhouette; all attention is focused on the painter's visage. Withheld is the detail of the lit cigarette in the painter's gloved left hand which appears in the other known version. One might consider as well that it would be anathema for either the respectable photographer or his bohemian subject to toss the smoking butt onto the emaculately swept streets of pre-War Cologne.
This print may be unique. No other prints are known to exist of this image.
This print was acquired in May, 1982.