Worker Pulling a Cargo Barge. 1933. Vintage gelatin silver print, mounted to board. 22,5 x 17,5 cm (mount 33 x 25,2 cm). Signed and dated by the photographer in pencil and annotated in another hand in pencil on the mount verso.
Ladislav Foltyn studied at the Bauhaus from 1929-1932, where he attended the photography course directed by Walter Peterhans. Alongside his work as an architect, he pursued photography, focusing mainly on still lifes. He later wrote several books on architecture, including Slowakische Architektur und die tschechische Avantgarde 1918-1939. His work is in the collection of the National Gallery of Art Washington, D.C.
Cindy Sherman Times Twelve. 1987. Gelatin silver print, printed in 2009. 25,1 x 18,2 cm (sheet 35,4 x 27,7 cm). Signed, titled, dedicated, dated and with copyright notation by the photographer in pencil on the verso.
This striking series of portraits depicts the conceptual artist Cindy Sherman in her Walker Street studio in New York City. Arranged in three photographic strips comprising twelve sequential images, the composition recalls the format of an analogue photo booth. Depicted without her characteristic elaborate costumes, wigs or disguises, Sherman appears in a succession of subtly shifting expressions and poses, offering an unusual perspective on an artist renowned for her exploration of identity and self-transformation. An image from this series, entitled Cindy Sherman, Tabula Rasa, is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Cindy Sherman, New York City. 1987. Gelatin silver print, printed 2009. 26,7 x 24,7 cm (sheet 35,3 x 27,8 cm). Signed, titled, dedicated, dated and copyrighted by the photographer in pencil on the verso.
San Angelo, Texas. 1997. Gelatin silver print. 37,5 x 37,1 cm (sheet 50,5 x 40,5 cm). Signed by the photographer in pencil, with photographer's publication and limitation stamp, as well as title and archive number in pencil on the verso.
Lee Friedlander is one of the most influential figures in American street and documentary photography, renowned for his distinctive exploration of the American "social landscape". His complex compositions, often incorporating reflections, signage, fragmented perspectives and layered visual elements, transformed seemingly ordinary scenes into intricate photographic studies. Alongside Diane Arbus and Garry Winogrand, he was featured in the landmark exhibition "New Documents" at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, in 1967, where he was also honored with a major retrospective in 2005.
Provenienz: Galerie Thomas Zander, Cologne; Grisebach, Auction 238, Lot 2206, June 3, 2015
Literatur: Lee Friedlander. Christmas. New York: Eakins Press Foundation, 2025, ill. front cover.
Friedemann, Paul
Radiospiegel (Radio mirror), Heinrich-Hertz-Institute, Berlin; GDR workers on the job
Los 4155
Schätzung
400€ (US$ 460)
Radiospiegel (Radio mirror), Heinrich-Hertz-Institute, Berlin; GDR workers on the job. 1960s. 2 vintage large-format ferrotyped gelatin silver prints. Each circa 39 x 27 cm. Each with photographer's stamp, exhibition stamp, annotated in pencil and 1 with archive label on the verso.
Paul Friedemann was a German photojournalist and an important representative of post-war photography in the GDR. From 1951 onwards, he worked for the illustrated magazine Zeit im Bild, documenting political events, industrial developments and everyday life in East Germany. A member of the influential photographers' group Signum, founded in 1965, Friedemann combined a documentary approach with carefully structured compositions.
Gabo, Naum
Linear Construction in Space No.1 and Linear Construction in Space No. 2 by Naum Gabo
Los 4156
Schätzung
500€ (US$ 575)
Photographers: Oliver Baker (active 1930s-1960s) and John Brook (1924-2016). Linear Construction in Space No.1 and Linear Construction in Space No. 2 by Naum Gabo (1890-1977). 1943, 1949. 2 vintage ferrotyped gelatin silver prints. Each circa 25,5 x 20,5 cm. Each with photographer's stamp on the verso.
Naum Gabo was a pioneering figure of Russian Constructivism whose innovative approach to sculpture profoundly influenced the development of modern abstract art. Rejecting traditional notions of sculptural mass and volume, he explored the interplay of space, light and geometric form, frequently employing modern materials such as Perspex and nylon filament. His celebrated Linear Construction series, begun in the early 1940s, exemplifies these principles, using finely stretched threads to create intricate spatial structures in which empty space becomes an integral element of the composition. The present two photographs document works from this important series, illustrating Gabo's radical redefinition of sculptural form.
Berlin Ost, 4.11.1989. Vintage gelatin silver print. 27,2 x 40 cm (sheet 38 x 49 cm). Titled and signed by the photographer in ink in the lower margin; titled and dated in ink, with photographer's stamp and annotations in pencil on the verso.
Frank Gaudlitz studied photography under Arno Fischer at the Academy of Visual Arts in Leipzig from 1987 to 1991. Since then, he has undertaken extensive long-term photographic projects, particularly in Russia, Eastern Europe and South America, documenting social and political transformations and their impact on individual lives. His work has received numerous awards and is represented in major collections, including the Berlinische Galerie and the Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin.
Brandenburger Tor, 23.12.1989. Vintage gelatin silver print. 25,5 x 37,7 cm (sheet 38,5 x 48,5 cm). Titled and signed in ink by the photographer in the lower margin; photographer's stamp on the verso.
Mann mit Hut. 1979. Vintage gelatin silver print on Agfa paper. 32,5 x 22 cm (38,7 x 29 cm). Signed, titled and dated by the photographer in pencil on the verso.
André Gelpke is a German-Swiss photographer who studied under Otto Steinert at the Folkwangschule in Essen from 1969 to 1975. In 1975, he co-founded the photographic agency Visum with Rudi Meisel and Gerd Ludwig. Increasingly turning towards artistic photography, Gelpke, alongside contemporaries such as Heinrich Riebesehl and Michael Schmidt, contributed significantly to the recognition of photography as an independent art form in Germany.
Gert, Valeska
The dancer and performance artist Valeska Gert
Los 4160
Schätzung
600€ (US$ 690)
Photographer: Atelier Binder (active circa 1913-1938). The dancer and performance artist Valeska Gert (1892-1978). 1927. Vintage gelatin silver print. 18,4 x 13 cm. Atlantic agency label with typed press text affixed to the verso.
The photograph depicts the pioneering German Expressionist dancer and cabaret artist Valeska Gert performing a provocative solo dance from circa 1927, historically known as "Negertanz", a title now considered offensive due to its racial connotations. Dressed in a close-fitting black costume, black shoes with white spats and a black hat with white trim, Gert challenged traditional conventions of dance through exaggerated gestures, unconventional movements and theatrical expression. Her radical and often satirical performances established her as one of the most distinctive figures of the Weimar Republic's avant-garde theatre and dance scene.
Untitled (from the series "Metamorfosi della terra"). 1970s. Vintage gelatin silver print on Agfa paper. 30,2 x 40,2 cm. Photographer's copyright stamp "Mario Giacomelli via Mastai 24 Senigallia" and annotations in pencil on the verso.
Part of Mario Giacomelli's Metamorfosi della terra (Metamorphosis of the Land) series, the present photograph exemplifies his distinctive approach to landscape photography, characterized by graphic abstraction, strong contrasts and an intensely personal engagement with nature. Photographed from an elevated perspective, the ploughed fields and furrowed earth are transformed into almost calligraphic compositions, blurring the boundaries between photography and abstract art. As in his later series Presa di coscienza sulla natura, Giacomelli explored the traces left by human intervention on the landscape, reflecting his concern with the transformation and degradation of the natural environment.
Self-Portrait on the Train, Germany. 1992. Chromogenic print. 39,8 × 50,5 cm. Signed, titled, editioned “A.P. 2” and dedicated “Fröhliches Weihnachten für Herr und Frau Remy, with love x” in felt-tip pen on the verso.
Nan Goldin is renowned for her deeply personal and intimate photographic narratives exploring themes of love, identity, sexuality and human relationships. Her seminal work The Ballad of Sexual Dependency (1986) documents her circle of friends and the underground subcultures of New York during the 1970s and 1980s, characterised by a spontaneous snapshot aesthetic and expressive use of colour. Her photographs frequently capture private, unguarded moments, blurring the boundaries between documentary photography and autobiography. The present self-portrait, taken during a train journey through Germany, exemplifies her introspective approach, turning the camera on herself as part of her ongoing exploration of personal experience.
Literatur: Walter Keller and Hans Werner Holzwarth, eds. A Double Life: Nan Goldin/David Armstrong. Scalo, New York ,1994, ill. p. 18.
Nan Goldin: I’ll Be Your Mirror, exh. cat. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, Scalo, Zurich, 1996, cover and ill. pp. 350-351.
Amanda in the Locker Room, Berlin. 1993. Cibachrome print, printed 1990s. 51 x 61 cm. Signed and titled by the photographer in black marker on the verso.
Male nudes. 1990s. 2 vintage gelatin silver prints. 17,6 x 12,2 cm and 24,3 x 19,7 cm (sheet 25,3 x 20,5 cm). One monogrammed by the photographer in felt-tip pen in the lower margin and with copyright notation in pencil on the verso; the other signed and numbered "5/100" by the photographer in pencil on the verso.
Best known for his striking black-and-white portraits of celebrities, artists and cultural figures, Greg Gorman has developed a distinctive photographic style characterized by dramatic lighting, strong contrasts and carefully composed images. Alongside his Hollywood portraiture, he has devoted a significant part of his artistic practice to the male nude, exploring the sculptural qualities of the human body through an interplay of light and shadow. His photographs combine a refined sense of intimacy and sensuality with a formal elegance that bridges commercial and fine art photography.
Gundlach, F.C.
Christa Vogel im Goldfisch Badeanzug, Sylt
Los 4165
Schätzung
1.500€ (US$ 1,724)
Christa Vogel im Goldfisch Badeanzug, Sylt. 1958. Gelatin silver print, printed later. 30,5 x 30,8 cm (50,7 x 40,7 cm). Signed, titled, dated and dedicated by the photographer in pencil as well as photographer's stamp on the verso.
F.C. Gundlach was one of Germany's most influential fashion photographers, whose work helped shape the visual identity of post-war fashion and lifestyle photography. Particularly active from the 1950s onwards, he became renowned for his elegant compositions, innovative staging and use of unconventional locations, often taking fashion photography beyond the traditional studio setting.
Romy Schneider, Hamburg. 1961. Gelatin silver print, printed later. 40 x 30 cm (40,7 x 50,5 cm). Signed, titled, dated and dedicated by the photographer in pencil on the verso.
Literatur: Klaus Honnef and Hans-Michael Koetzle (eds.). F.C. Gundlach: Das fotografische Werk. Steidl 2008, ill. p. 35.
Beate Kemfert (ed.). Die Erinnerung ist oft das Schönste: Fotografische Porträts von Romy Schneider. Mit Fotografien von Herbert List, Max Scheler, Roger Fritz, F. C. Gundlach, Will McBride, Peter Brüchmann, Werner Bokelberg, Helga Kneidl, Robert Lebeck. Ostfildern 2008, ill. p 58.
Female nude in the dunes. 1952. Vintage large-format ferrotyped gelatin silver print. 38,4 x 29,3 cm. Signed and dated by the photographer in ink and pencil as well as photographer's "Wasserburg/Bodensee" stamp on the verso.
Active during the early to mid-20th century, German photographer Heinz Hajek-Halke was a true innovator, known for his imaginative and surreal compositions. His work often incorporated multiple exposures, photomontage, and innovative darkroom techniques to create visually striking and thought-provoking images. He explored themes of abstraction, motion, and the intersection of reality and dreams, pushing the boundaries of traditional photography.
Verknöcherte Lyrik (Lichtgraphik).Ca. 1961. Vintage ferrotyped gelatin silver print on Agfa-Brovira paper. 29 x 22,7 cm (sheet 30,2 x 23,8 cm). Signed by the photographer in black felt-tip pen and "HHH" inventory stamp with number in pencil on the verso.
Literatur: Michael Ruetz and Rolf Sachsse, eds. Heinz Hajek-Halke. Der Alchemist. Göttingen: Steidl 2012, ill. p. 135.
Marilyn Monroe reading. 1952. Gelatin silver print, printed 1981. 43 x 35,5 cm. Photographer's/copyright stamp on the verso.
The Latvian-born American photographer Philippe Halsman became one of the most prominent and innovative portraitists of the 20th century. He captured some of the era's most iconic faces and transformed celebrity photography through wit, dynamic movement, and deep psychological insight. Over his prolific career, Halsman produced an unmatched record of 101 cover photos for Life magazine. He photographed Marilyn Monroe several times and helped promote her career with his iconic 1952 Life cover of her.
Literatur: Jane Halsman Bello and Steve Bello, eds. Philippe Halsman. Eine Retrospektive. Zurich: Stemmle, 1998, ill. unpaginated (from the same sitting).
Dali Clockface. 1953. Gelatin silver print, printed 1981. 35,2 x 27,7 cm. With "Halsman/Dali" edition stamp, therein editioned "148/250" in ink on the verso.
In 1941 Philippe Halsman began a legendary 37-year creative partnership with Surrealist master Salvador Dalí. Together, they conceptualized mind-bending photographs. Their most famous collaboration, Dalí Atomicus (1948), features Dalí suspended mid-air alongside flying cats, a stream of thrown water, an easel, and a chair - an unretouched work that required 28 takes to perfectly execute. They also co-created the iconic skull-like body collage In Voluptas Mors and published the book Dalí's Mustache (1954).
Invisible Dali. 1954. Gelatin silver print, printed 1981. 35,2 x 27,7 cm. With "Halsman/Dali" edition stamp, therein editioned "148/250" in ink on the verso.
Anti-Reagan Demo, Berlin. June 11, 1982. Gelatin silver print, printed later. 25 x 36 cm (sheet 30,4 x 40,3 cm). Photographer's/copyright stamp as well as signed and dated by the photographer in pencil on the verso.
Literatur: Ernst Volland (ed.). Gefühl und Schärfe. Fotos für die TAZ. Berlin: Rixdorfer Verlangsanstalt, 1987, ill. pp.22-23.
Phyllocactus bud. 1930s. Vintage ferrotyped gelatin silver print. 22,7 x 16,7 cm. Max Gerlach agency label and typed label with press text on the verso.
Rhythmograms. 1950s. 4 vintage gelatin silver prints (3 ferrotyped, 1 on Agfa and 1 on Agfa-Portriga-Rapid paper). 3 circa 24 x 18 cm and one 23,8 x 30,2 cm. Each signed by the photographer in pencil with photographer's stamp with archive number in pencil on the verso.
The German photographer Heinrich Heidersberger is best known for his architectural and industrial images, which helped shape the visual language of postwar modernism in West Germany. His work is characterized by precise, graphic compositions and a strong sense of form, while his experimental pieces - most notably his abstract “rhythmograms”, such as the ones offered here - reveal a parallel interest in movement and light.
Henri, Florence
Portrait of the photographer Willy Maywald
Los 4175
Schätzung
400€ (US$ 460)
Portrait of the photographer Willy Maywald. 1953. Vintage large-format gelatin silver print. 39,8 x 30,2 cm. Photographer's stamp and annotated in pencil on the verso.
Florence Henri was a pioneering figure of avant-garde photography whose artistic approach was strongly influenced by her background in painting and her studies at the Bauhaus. Best known for her experimental compositions, innovative use of mirrors and striking portraits, she combined geometric abstraction with a distinctive sensitivity to light, form and perspective. The present large-format portrait depicts fellow photographer Willy Maywald, who established himself as one of the leading fashion and portrait photographers in post-war Paris, particularly through his work for Christian Dior.
Plant studies. 1930s. 3 gelatin silver prints on carte postale, 1 on Afga paper, printed 1950s/60s. Each circa 14 x 10 cm. 1 with photographer's label and archive number in ink on the verso.
Little is known about the life and photographic work of Lena ("Lenchen") Holderer, who was born in Freiburg im Breisgau and settled in Karlsruhe in 1930. She is believed to have received her early photographic training from Carl Albiker, with whom she maintained a lifelong friendship and occasionally collaborated. Following World War II, her work received support from Martha Hoepffner, and she held a teaching position at the Technische Hochschule Karlsruhe from 1952 to 1956. Her photographs, particularly her studies of plants and natural forms, reflect an interest in abstraction and experimental composition.
Round the Clock I, NY. 1987. Gelatin silver print, printed later. 45 x 35 cm (sheet 50,5 x 40,2 cm). Photographer's blindstamp in the lower margin; signed by the photographer in pencil and titled and dated in another hand in pencil on the verso.
Horst P. Horst was one of the most influential fashion photographers of the 20th century, renowned for his sophisticated compositions, dramatic lighting and sculptural treatment of the human form. Drawing inspiration from classical art and Surrealism, he developed a distinctive visual language that combined elegance with meticulous attention to form and detail. The present photograph belongs to a series commissioned by the American hosiery brand Round the Clock in 1987, exemplifying his ability to combine commercial fashion photography with a refined artistic aesthetic.
Literatur: Richard J. Tardiff and Lothar Schirmer, eds. Horst. Sixty Years of Photography. New York: Thames & Hudson 1995, ill. pl. 195.
Photographer unknown. Construction of the Charlottenburg gasworks and its facilities. 1908-1911. 3 vintage collodion paper prints, 2 vintage gelatin silver prints. Each circa 29,5 x 24 cm or reverse.
The historic gasometer, once located at Gaußstraße 1 in Berlin-Charlottenburg, was originally constructed ca. 1911. It featured telescopic gas holders and later two large, 50-metre-high spherical high-pressure gas holders for the storage of natural and town gas. The plant was decommissioned in 1991, and the industrial structures were dismantled in the summer of 2006 as the site was redeveloped.
Literatur: Kathrin Baumstark, Andreas Hoffmann and Ulrich Pohlmann, eds. Moderne Zeiten. Industrie im Blick von Malerei und Fotografie. Hamburg: Bucerius Forum, 2021, ill. p. 99 (a view of the same structure).
Jack Ruby Shooting Lee Harvey Oswald (for Dallas Times Herald). 1963. Gelatin silver press print on Kodak-RC paper, printed 1991. 20,2 x 25,3 cm. Printed press text and newspaper cutting with date stamp affixed to the verso.
Captured on November 24, 1963, by American press photographer Robert H. 'Bob' Jackson, this split-second exposure earned the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for Photography. By freezing the exact instant of Lee Harvey Oswald's assassination, Jackson’s photograph perfectly encapsulated the collective shock of the American public following the death of President John F. Kennedy. Today, it remains an unparalleled masterpiece of photojournalism and a defining visual marker of the 20th century.
President John F. Kennedy signing the Golden Book of the City of Berlin. 1963. Vintage gelatin silver print on Agfa paper. 23,8 x 29,9 cm. 2 photographer's/copyright stamps, annotated and dated in pencil on the verso.
In 1937, the Jewish photographer Max Jacoby fled his native Koblenz for Argentina, where he began working as a camera assistant to photographer Georges Friedmann and later co-founded the photographic collective La Carpeta de los Diez with fellow émigré photographers. Returning to Berlin in 1957, he established himself as a freelance photographer, documenting political events, everyday life and a wide range of personalities in the divided city. His photographs of John F. Kennedy's historic visit to West Berlin in June 1963 capture the atmosphere of public enthusiasm surrounding the American president's appearance, providing a vivid record of a defining moment in the city's Cold War history.
Literatur: GDKE, Landesmuseum Koblenz, ed. Max Jacoby. Leben und Werk eines jüdischen Fotografen. Cologne: Wienand, 2020, ill p. 61 (images from the same series).
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Galerie Bassenge
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Öffnungszeiten:
Montag bis Donnerstag, 10–18 Uhr,
Freitag, 10–16 Uhr
Telefon: +49 30 8938029-0
Fax: +49 30 8918025
E-Mail: info (at) bassenge.com
Impressum
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© 2026 Galerie Gerda Bassenge
Galerie Bassenge
Erdener Str. 5A
14193 Berlin
Öffnungszeiten:
Montag bis Donnerstag, 10–18 Uhr,
Freitag, 10–16 Uhr
Telefon: +49 30 8938029-0
Fax: +49 30 8918025
E-Mail: info (at) bassenge.com
Impressum
Datenschutzerklärung
© 2026 Galerie Gerda Bassenge