Los 4143

Film Photography
Brigitte Helm as the Maschinenmensch in the film 'Metropolis'

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Fotografie des 19. – 21. Jahrhunderts (Katalog nur online verfügbar)
Auktionsdatum 28.11.2026

Brigitte Helm as the "Maschinenmensch" in the film Metropolis. 1926. Vintage ferrotyped gelatin silver print. 12 x 16,5 cm. Annotated in ink and pencil, "Historia-Photo" agency stamp and layout marks in pencil on the verso.

Fritz Lang's Metropolis, released in 1927, was a commercial disappointment despite an elaborate publicity campaign, which included painting the façade of the Ufa-Pavillon at Nollendorfplatz in Berlin silver for the film's screening. Nevertheless, its groundbreaking special effects and futuristic visual design established it as a landmark of cinema history. The present photograph depicts Brigitte Helm as the "Maschinenmensch" (Machine-Man), a robot created in the likeness of Maria, the workers' leader, whom Helm also portrayed. The robot's distinctive appearance became one of the film's most recognizable images and featured prominently in its promotional material.