Will McBride

(American, 1931–2015)

Will McBride was an American artist known for his black-and-white photographs documenting youth culture in postwar Germany. His work remains controversial for its frank and explicit depiction of sexuality, as evidenced in his Show Me! (1974) and Coming Of Age (1999) photobooks which were intended to educate children and adolescents about their developing bodies. Born on January 10, 1931 in St. Louis, MO, McBride studied privately with Norman Rockwell while attending the University of Vermont, before transferring to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and finishing his degree at Syracuse University in 1953. Serving in the Army brought him to Germany in the mid-1950s, after his tour of duty he settled in Berlin where he became fascinated with documenting the rapid rebuilding of West Germany and its effect on youth culture. Many consider McBride’s working method as a forerunner to the visceral self-documentation seen later in the photographs of Nan Goldin and Wolfgang Tillmans. Toward the end of his life, McBride switched his focus towards producing painting and sculpture. He died on January 29, 2015 in Berlin, Germany at the age of 84. Today, the artist’s work are held in the collections of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Related Categories

Contemporary Art, Contemporary Realism, Photography

Related Artists

Robert Mapplethorpe, Irving Penn, Norman Rockwell, Garry Winogrand

Will McBride Artworks

Artworks for Sale &
Auction Results

Will McBride (742 results)
Aufreihen zur Morgenandacht Schlossschule..., 1963

Will McBride

Aufreihen zur Morgenandacht Schlossschule..., 1963

Sale Date: November 25, 2004

Auction Closed

Haus bricht zusammen, 1970

Will McBride

Haus bricht zusammen, 1970

Sale Date: November 25, 2004

Auction Closed

Mike in shower, morning washing at Schloss..., 1963

Will McBride

Mike in shower, morning washing at Schloss..., 1963

Sale Date: November 25, 2004

Auction Closed

Barbara McBride schwanger mit Shawn, Berlin, 1960

Will McBride

Barbara McBride schwanger mit Shawn, Berlin, 1960

Sale Date: November 25, 2004

Auction Closed

Barbara in our bed, Berlin, 1959

Will McBride

Barbara in our bed, Berlin, 1959

Sale Date: November 25, 2004

Auction Closed

Gisèle Freund, 1998

Will McBride

Gisèle Freund, 1998

Sale Date: October 30, 2004

Auction Closed

Leo Castelli in Arles zur Ausstellung von..., 1993

Will McBride

Leo Castelli in Arles zur Ausstellung von..., 1993

Sale Date: October 30, 2004

Auction Closed

Bucolische Spiele, Twen, 1964

Will McBride

Bucolische Spiele, Twen, 1964

Sale Date: October 30, 2004

Auction Closed

Romy Schneider, 1964

Will McBride

Romy Schneider, 1964

Sale Date: October 30, 2004

Auction Closed

John F. Kennedy, 1963

Will McBride

John F. Kennedy, 1963

Sale Date: October 30, 2004

Auction Closed

Julia + Roxy, Studio München, 1969

Will McBride

Julia + Roxy, Studio München, 1969

Sale Date: October 29, 2004

Auction Closed

Anique, Ed & Dany in Berlin, 1962

Will McBride

Anique, Ed & Dany in Berlin, 1962

Sale Date: October 19, 2004

Auction Closed

Michael & Cathy in Les Baux, France, 1977

Will McBride

Michael & Cathy in Les Baux, France, 1977

Sale Date: October 19, 2004

Auction Closed

Lappes + Christina tanzen vorm..., 1959–1959

Will McBride

Lappes + Christina tanzen vorm..., 1959–1959

Sale Date: June 10, 2004

Auction Closed

S-Bahnhof Friedrichstrasse, Berlin Ost, 1957–1957

Will McBride

S-Bahnhof Friedrichstrasse, Berlin Ost, 1957–1957

Sale Date: June 10, 2004

Auction Closed

Michael & Cathy in les Baux bei Arles,..., 1978–1978

Will McBride

Michael & Cathy in les Baux bei Arles,..., 1978–1978

Sale Date: April 19, 2004

Auction Closed

John F. Kennedy vorm Brandenburger Tor, , 1963–1963

Will McBride

John F. Kennedy vorm Brandenburger Tor, , 1963–1963

Sale Date: November 27, 2003

Auction Closed

Liebespaar mit Milchflasche, St. Marie..., 1976–1976

Will McBride

Liebespaar mit Milchflasche, St. Marie..., 1976–1976

Sale Date: November 27, 2003

Auction Closed

Drei Mädchen in der via di Camaialdi,..., 1957–1957

Will McBride

Drei Mädchen in der via di Camaialdi,..., 1957–1957

Sale Date: November 27, 2003

Auction Closed

Aufreihen zur Morgenandacht..., 1963–1963

Will McBride

Aufreihen zur Morgenandacht..., 1963–1963

Sale Date: November 28, 2003

Auction Closed

B. McBride, Worpswede, 1960–1960

Will McBride

B. McBride, Worpswede, 1960–1960

Sale Date: November 27, 2003

Auction Closed

Mike mit seiner Freundin am Fenster,..., 1962–1962

Will McBride

Mike mit seiner Freundin am Fenster,..., 1962–1962

Sale Date: November 28, 2003

Auction Closed

Romy Schneider in Paris, 1965–1965

Will McBride

Romy Schneider in Paris, 1965–1965

Sale Date: October 31, 2003

Auction Closed

Romy Schneider, 1964–1964

Will McBride

Romy Schneider, 1964–1964

Sale Date: October 31, 2003

Auction Closed

English (US)

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