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

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Art Fairs

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Art World

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

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Hans Bellmer Artworks

Artworks for Sale &
Auction Results

Hans Bellmer (2,867 results)
Epure reptiligne, 1965

Hans Bellmer

Epure reptiligne, 1965

Sale Date: May 6, 2006

Auction Closed

La poupée, 1934

Hans Bellmer

La poupée, 1934

Sale Date: April 29, 2006

Auction Closed

Sans titre

Hans Bellmer

Sans titre

Sale Date: April 25, 2006

Auction Closed

Visage et transparence, 1960

Hans Bellmer

Visage et transparence, 1960

Sale Date: April 25, 2006

Auction Closed

La mitrailleuse

Hans Bellmer

La mitrailleuse

Sale Date: April 7, 2006

Auction Closed

Visage

Hans Bellmer

Visage

Sale Date: April 7, 2006

Auction Closed

Poésies (portfolio of 10 w/text by Isidore..., 1970

Hans Bellmer

Poésies (portfolio of 10 w/text by Isidore..., 1970

Sale Date: April 18, 2006

Auction Closed

Les mystères du confessional (portfolio of 9 , 1973

Hans Bellmer

Les mystères du confessional (portfolio of 9 , 1973

Sale Date: March 31, 2006

Auction Closed

Komposition (+ another pencil study. verso), 1960

Hans Bellmer

Komposition (+ another pencil study. verso), 1960

Sale Date: March 31, 2006

Auction Closed

Composition, 1959

Hans Bellmer

Composition, 1959

Sale Date: February 6, 2006

Auction Closed

La mitrailleuse en état de grâce - object..., 1937

Hans Bellmer

La mitrailleuse en état de grâce - object..., 1937

Sale Date: February 6, 2006

Auction Closed

Les Chants de Maldoror (bk by Comte de...

Hans Bellmer

Les Chants de Maldoror (bk by Comte de...

Sale Date: November 23, 2005

Auction Closed

Visage et corps

Hans Bellmer

Visage et corps

Sale Date: December 12, 2005

Auction Closed

Tête surréaliste

Hans Bellmer

Tête surréaliste

Sale Date: December 12, 2005

Auction Closed

Sans titre, 1953

Hans Bellmer

Sans titre, 1953

Sale Date: December 15, 2005

Auction Closed

Inceste

Hans Bellmer

Inceste

Sale Date: November 25, 2005

Auction Closed

Nus à squelette sur un fond vaguement construit

Hans Bellmer

Nus à squelette sur un fond vaguement construit

Sale Date: December 9, 2005

Auction Closed

Deux femmes nues tête-bêche

Hans Bellmer

Deux femmes nues tête-bêche

Sale Date: December 9, 2005

Auction Closed

Analogien (portfolio of 5 w/title pg. &..., 1971

Hans Bellmer

Analogien (portfolio of 5 w/title pg. &..., 1971

Sale Date: December 7, 2005

Auction Closed

Hommage à Picasso, 1973

Hans Bellmer

Hommage à Picasso, 1973

Sale Date: December 7, 2005

Auction Closed

La naissance des poupées, 1970

Hans Bellmer

La naissance des poupées, 1970

Sale Date: December 12, 2005

Auction Closed

Portrait du Commandant Coudène, 1940

Hans Bellmer

Portrait du Commandant Coudène, 1940

Sale Date: December 12, 2005

Auction Closed

Portrait du Commandant Coudène, 1940

Hans Bellmer

Portrait du Commandant Coudène, 1940

Sale Date: December 12, 2005

Auction Closed

Trois jeunes filles, 1942

Hans Bellmer

Trois jeunes filles, 1942

Sale Date: December 12, 2005

Auction Closed

English (US)

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