August Sander

August Sander is widely recognized as the preeminent German portrait and documentary photographer of the early twentieth century, establishing a systematic and objective approach that profoundly shaped subsequent photographic practice. His unflinching commitment to documenting German society established him as a foundational figure in modern factual photography.

Sander’s fame rests primarily on his monumental photographic series, People of the 20th Century. Initiated around 1920, this ambitious project aimed to create a comprehensive visual typology of the German populace, organized into seven distinct thematic "stems" based on class, occupation, and social position. Through this rigorous methodology, Sander sought to present a dispassionate cross-section of society during the volatile period of the Weimar Republic, ranging from the working class, such as the Hikers on the Hohenseelbachskopf, to intellectual figures and the political elite.

The initial selection of sixty images from this endeavor was published in 1929 as Face of our Time. Sander’s portraits are characterized by a detached clarity; subjects are typically positioned centrally, often against simple backgrounds, allowing clothing, posture, and environmental cues to function as sociological indicators. The powerful uniformity of his approach is evident whether he is documenting the professional facade of an Architect [Emil Fahrenkamp] or the vulnerability of marginal figures like Midgets. It is a subtle but noteworthy observation that Sander treated the specific challenge of capturing a Public Health Official with the same unwavering, objective seriousness he applied to capturing a farmer or a revolutionary.

While best known for these meticulous studies, Sander's expansive body of work also encompassed landscape, architectural documentation, and street photography. His technical mastery ensured his legacy, and many of his silver gelatin studies remain enduring examples of museum-quality imagery. Today, due to the expiration of copyright protections, a significant portion of the August Sander prints are available through the public domain, allowing institutions and enthusiasts access to high-quality prints and downloadable artwork that serve as crucial records of an era.