Hans Bellmer

(German, 1902–1975)

Hans Bellmer was a German Surrealist artist known for his life-size dolls and erotic photography. His earliest dolls—perversions of the female form with legs growing out of legs—were created out of a desire to oppose the Nazi Regime’s goal of so-called physical perfection. “The female body is like an endless sentence that invites us to rearrange it,” the artist once observed, “so that its real meaning becomes clear through a series of endless anagrams.” He was born on March 13, 1902 in Kattowitz, Germany, in what is now Poland. Once he received the label of degenerate artist, Bellmer fled his home country and moved to Paris, where his challenging work was embraced by members of the Surrealist movement, especially André Breton. After the war, the artist moved into other media, including sexually explicit photography and paintings that explored fetishism through dream-like imagery. He notably collaborated with the artist Unica Zürn on the photographic series Unica Tied Up, featuring close-up images of flesh bulging around tight rope binding in an investigation of sadomasochistic practices. Bellmer died on February 23, 1975 in Paris, France at the age of 72.

Hans Bellmer News

On View

The Five Must-See Shows at the 48th Rencontres d’Arles

by Naomi Rea
The Five Must-See Shows at the 48th Rencontres d’Arles
Art Fairs

See the Hottest Trends at Photo London 2016

by Lorena Muñoz-Alonso
See the Hottest Trends at Photo London 2016
Art World

Will Erotic Art Museum's 'Depraved' Collection Head to Germany?

by Brian Boucher
Will Erotic Art Museum's 'Depraved' Collection Head to Germany?

Hans Bellmer Artworks

Artworks for Sale &
Auction Results

Hans Bellmer (2,867 results)
VISAGES ENTREMÊLÉS

Hans Bellmer

VISAGES ENTREMÊLÉS

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

COMPOSITION, 1962

Hans Bellmer

COMPOSITION, 1962

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

COMPOSITION GÉOMÉTRIQUE. TRAITS BLANCS ET...

Hans Bellmer

COMPOSITION GÉOMÉTRIQUE. TRAITS BLANCS ET...

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

SANS TITRE, 1961

Hans Bellmer

SANS TITRE, 1961

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

VISAGES ET BAS RAYÉS, 1962

Hans Bellmer

VISAGES ET BAS RAYÉS, 1962

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

FEMME FICELÉE - RECTO SANS TITRE - VERSO, 1947

Hans Bellmer

FEMME FICELÉE - RECTO SANS TITRE - VERSO, 1947

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

NU CÉPHALOPODE

Hans Bellmer

NU CÉPHALOPODE

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

FEMMES AUX COLONNES - RECTO FEMME NUE - VERSO

Hans Bellmer

FEMMES AUX COLONNES - RECTO FEMME NUE - VERSO

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

DEUX FEMMES, 1958

Hans Bellmer

DEUX FEMMES, 1958

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

TROIS FEMMES, 1958

Hans Bellmer

TROIS FEMMES, 1958

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

UN COUPLE DE CÉPHALOPODES (ŒIL D'UNICA ZÜRN ET...

Hans Bellmer

UN COUPLE DE CÉPHALOPODES (ŒIL D'UNICA ZÜRN ET...

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

SANS TITRE, 1955

Hans Bellmer

SANS TITRE, 1955

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

SANS TITRE, 1955

Hans Bellmer

SANS TITRE, 1955

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

SANS TITRE (PIEDS ET MAINS ARTICULÉS AVEC..., 1952

Hans Bellmer

SANS TITRE (PIEDS ET MAINS ARTICULÉS AVEC..., 1952

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

COMPOSITION PIEDS ET MAINS

Hans Bellmer

COMPOSITION PIEDS ET MAINS

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

FEMME SQUELETTE ARTICULÉE

Hans Bellmer

FEMME SQUELETTE ARTICULÉE

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

Portrait de Mademoiselle Caillaoux de..., 1947

Hans Bellmer

Portrait de Mademoiselle Caillaoux de..., 1947

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

Sans titre (recto;verso), 1959

Hans Bellmer

Sans titre (recto;verso), 1959

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

Sans titre (recto;verso), 1959

Hans Bellmer

Sans titre (recto;verso), 1959

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

Portrait de Mademoiselle Caillaoux de face, 1947

Hans Bellmer

Portrait de Mademoiselle Caillaoux de face, 1947

Sale Date: March 28, 2019

Auction Closed

Les Milles en Feu, 1970

Hans Bellmer

Les Milles en Feu, 1970

Sale Date: February 27, 2019

Auction Closed

La petite fille sur canape noir, 1970

Hans Bellmer

La petite fille sur canape noir, 1970

Sale Date: February 27, 2019

Auction Closed

MADAME EDWARDA, 1965

Hans Bellmer

MADAME EDWARDA, 1965

Sale Date: March 9, 2019

Auction Closed

Etreintes, 1974

Hans Bellmer

Etreintes, 1974

Sale Date: February 28, 2019

Auction Closed

English (US)

©2024 Artnet Worldwide Corporation. All rights reserved.