August Sander (1876 – 1964) remains one of the most significant German portrait and documentary photographers of the early twentieth century. He is best known for his monumental series, People of the 20th Century, an ambitious project that aimed to create a systematic, objective cross-section of society during the Weimar Republic. Sander initialed his training while assisting a photographer at a local iron-ore mine, eventually acquiring his own equipment and establishing studios in Linz and Cologne.
His artistic direction shifted significantly in the early 1920s when he connected with the Cologne Progressives, a radical group of artists focused on combining objectivity with social engagement. Under their influence, Sander abandoned romanticized photographic traditions in favor of a detached, sociological approach. He purposefully photographed his subjects within their natural environments, utilizing their specific work tools, uniforms, and daily attire to clearly define their functional social roles.
This comprehensive project was categorized into seven distinct thematic sections: The Farmer, The Skilled Tradesman, Woman, Classes and Professions, The Artists, The City, and The Last People. In 1929, he published a selection of 60 portraits in his first book, Face of our Time (Antlitz der Zeit). However, his analytical view of society directly conflicted with Nazi racial theories, leading the regime to confiscate the book and destroy its printing plates in 1936. To protect his life's work during World War II, Sander relocated to the rural Westerwald region, successfully saving thousands of negatives from wartime destruction before his passing in 1964.
© 2026. All content on this blog is protected by international copyright laws All images are copyrighted © by August Sander or assignee. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only
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| August Sander |
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| Farmer from Schabernack, Westerwald, 1912 |
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| The Farmer's Family, 1912 |
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| Young Farmers, 1914 |
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| Farmer's Child, 1920 |
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| Village Schoolteacher, Westerwald, 1921 |
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| Widow with her Sons, 1921 |
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| Cretin, 1924 |
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| High-Ranking Civil Servant [Notary], 1924 |
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| Peasant Bride, 1925 |
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| Peasant Girls, 1925 |
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| Blacksmith I, 1926 |
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| Blacksmiths II, 1926 |
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| Circus Artist, 1926 |
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| Circus Artistes, 1926 |
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| Home Help, 1926 |
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| Young Farmers with Bicycles, 1926 |
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| Young Girl in Circus Caravan, 1926 |
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| Bricklayer, 1928 |
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| Child on a Bicycle, 1928 |
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| The Pastrycook, 1928 |
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| The Tenor [Leonardo Aramesco], 1928 |
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| Farmhands, 1929 |
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| Afternoon Break, 1930 |
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| Cologne, View from the Window of the Kunstverein, 1930 |
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| Farming Family from the Eifel Highlands, 1930 |
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| Washerwoman, 1930 |
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| Farmer, 1932 |
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| Infirm Old Man, 1932 |
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| Organ Grinder, 1937 |
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