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 (2,830 results)
Petite Anatomie de l'inconscient physique ou , 1957

Hans Bellmer

Petite Anatomie de l'inconscient physique ou , 1957

Sale Date: October 9, 2020

Auction Closed

Cinq pointes sèches pour illustrer Dialogues , 1967

Hans Bellmer

Cinq pointes sèches pour illustrer Dialogues , 1967

Sale Date: October 9, 2020

Auction Closed

Les Marionnettes. Onze cuivres gravés en..., 1969

Hans Bellmer

Les Marionnettes. Onze cuivres gravés en..., 1969

Sale Date: October 9, 2020

Auction Closed

Corps et trois têtes de femmes, 1955

Hans Bellmer

Corps et trois têtes de femmes, 1955

Sale Date: February 14, 2021

Auction Closed

Fyra etsningar, 1969

Hans Bellmer

Fyra etsningar, 1969

Sale Date: January 26, 2021

Auction Closed

Les Mystères du confessionnal (The Mysteries , 1973

Hans Bellmer

Les Mystères du confessionnal (The Mysteries , 1973

Sale Date: January 21, 2021

Auction Closed

Sans titre, 1943

Hans Bellmer

Sans titre, 1943

Sale Date: December 16, 2020

Auction Closed

Les jeux de la poupée, 1936-37, 1936–1937

Hans Bellmer

Les jeux de la poupée, 1936-37, 1936–1937

Sale Date: December 15, 2020

Auction Closed

A Sade, 1946, 1946

Hans Bellmer

A Sade, 1946, 1946

Sale Date: December 15, 2020

Auction Closed

Poupée et Fileuse, 1934, 1934

Hans Bellmer

Poupée et Fileuse, 1934, 1934

Sale Date: December 15, 2020

Auction Closed

Unica avec l'oeil sexe, 1961, 1961

Hans Bellmer

Unica avec l'oeil sexe, 1961, 1961

Sale Date: December 15, 2020

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1961

Hans Bellmer

Untitled, 1961

Sale Date: December 10, 2020

Auction Closed

Portrait de femme de profil

Hans Bellmer

Portrait de femme de profil

Sale Date: December 2, 2020

Auction Closed

Composition (Head and pair of legs)

Hans Bellmer

Composition (Head and pair of legs)

Sale Date: December 9, 2020

Auction Closed

Lady with a hat, 1969

Hans Bellmer

Lady with a hat, 1969

Sale Date: December 9, 2020

Auction Closed

Ohne Titel (Doppelportrait einer jungen Frau), 1960

Hans Bellmer

Ohne Titel (Doppelportrait einer jungen Frau), 1960

Sale Date: December 9, 2020

Auction Closed

Sans Titre (Jeune Fille et la Mort), 1963

Hans Bellmer

Sans Titre (Jeune Fille et la Mort), 1963

Sale Date: December 9, 2020

Auction Closed

Sans Titre, 1943

Hans Bellmer

Sans Titre, 1943

Sale Date: December 9, 2020

Auction Closed

Sans titre

Hans Bellmer

Sans titre

Sale Date: November 19, 2020

Auction Closed

UNTITLED, 1961

Hans Bellmer

UNTITLED, 1961

Sale Date: November 18, 2020

Auction Closed

Petit Traité de Morale, 1968

Hans Bellmer

Petit Traité de Morale, 1968

Sale Date: November 19, 2020

Auction Closed

Petit traité de morale (A Little Moral Treat), 1968

Hans Bellmer

Petit traité de morale (A Little Moral Treat), 1968

Sale Date: October 22, 2020

Auction Closed

Œillades ciselées en branche (Glances Cut on , 1939

Hans Bellmer

Œillades ciselées en branche (Glances Cut on , 1939

Sale Date: October 22, 2020

Auction Closed

Abstract

Hans Bellmer

Abstract

Sale Date: October 22, 2020

Auction Closed

English (US)

©2024 Artnet Worldwide Corporation. All rights reserved.