August Sander

German, 1876–1964

"Trude Alex in der Show Vum Billa zum Zilla", 1932

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Medium: gelatin silver print ca 1932 by August Sander
Size: 21 x 29 cm. (8.3 x 11.4 in.)
Markings: Verso: no special features visible.
The accompanying photographic cardboard, recto, on which the picture was mounted, shows that it is a so-called portfolio print by August Sander. The type of paper is typical for Sander's works. The dimensions of the cardboard: 43.8 x 33.7 cm. There are no special features on the front.
Verso: A protective film was glued to the longer, left rear edge of the cardboard, which was intended to protect the photograph when turned to the front. August Sander took this measure many times. The portfolio print is in impeccable condition.

Price on Request

Galerie Haus Schlangeneck

Euskirchen

About this Artwork

Size Notes: ALL IN ALL, THE PHOTOGRAPH BY AUGUST SANDER SHOWN HERE IS AN ORIGINAL PRINT OF HIGH MUSEUM QUALITY THAT IS RARELY FOUND ON THE ART MARKET.
Provenance: Private collection from the Rhineland + expertise from the Photographische Sammlung/SK Stiftung Kultur, Cologne, July 30, 2019
(Content from this was used for the photographic work described here).
Exhibitions: 11/15/2023–03/07/2024 Menschen des 20. Jahrhunderts
The motif of the group of actors is one of the motifs that August Sander took in 1932 as a commissioned work for the variety theater "Gross Köln". It is not known whether the photograph was used and published in a theatrical context. Due to the fact that the print was mounted on cardboard usually used for Sander's picture folders and was also provided with a protective film, it probably belonged to a subject-specific and representative folder. "Groß-Köln" or "Groß-Cöln" is the name of the first large popular variety theater in Cologne. It was opened in 1912 and destroyed during the Second World War.August Sander may have made contact with the Varieté through the architect Hans Heinz Lüttgen, with whom he was closely acquainted through the "Cologne Progressives" group. According to Wikipedia, Lüttgen had taken on the conversion of the theater and "on New Year's Day 1932, the premiere of the anniversary revue for Willi Ostermann Vum Billa zum Zilla by Hans Jonen and Leo Renner, directed by the new operators Ludwig and Hans Herbert Blatzheim, was presented for the reopening." (Wikipedia, as of July 2019). A date of 1932 is therefore plausible.
Important in this case is an inscription on the original glass negative plate belonging to the print in the August Sander Archive (upper long edge): "From Zilla to Billa". Equally interesting is a photograph that was taken at the same time and can be found in the society portrait "People of the 20th Century", entitled: Stage artists [Gart de Vogt, Willi Ostermann, Trude Alex], with Trude Alex wearing her stage costume. (Cf. Menschen des 20. Jahrhunderts 2010, p. 541)
The large-format original glass negative on which the print is based can be found in the August Sander Archive.

Description

The photographic print, recto, shows an elaboration in warm "black and white" tones known for the work of August Sander. The surface is matt-glossy and shows a few retouches and small traces of abrasion in the lower left corner (upper edge of the image). The size of the enlargement: 21.8 x 29.5 cm. The edges of the image have been framed with a black ink border. In the lower left corner there is a round embossing stamp, frequently used by August Sander, with the inscription "August Sander/ Köln/ Lindenthal". This is slightly cut in the lower area. Judging by its appearance, the portfolio print was probably made in the 1930s. The photo is directly related to the "People of the 20th century" project.