MA-g
The Museum of Avant-garde

Erwin Blumenfeld

Germany (1897—1969)
Born in Berlin in 1897, Blumenfeld received his first camera at early age. Although he never received formal training, he had his apprenticeship with dressmaker Schlochauer and Mose. In 1923 he moved to Amsterdam and together with Paul Citroen he found Holland Dadacentrale. He set up Fox Leather Company and started to photograph female customers. Three years later he declared bankrupt and left for Paris and got a contract with Vogue. During WWII he was imprisoned but managed to reach New York in 1941: he worked for Harper’s Bazaar, Life and Flair and for Helena Rubinstein, L’Oreal and Elizabeth Arden. He died in Rome in 1969.

Profile of bust

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22.1 x 28.1 cm / 1955 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld

Wall Street, New York

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22.1 x 29.7 cm / 1943 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld

Doll face mannequin head

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22 x 27.1 cm / 1933 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld

Solarized torso

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22 x 28.1 cm / 1937 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld

Solarized nude

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22 x 28.2 cm / 1943 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld

The devil cross

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22.1 x 28 cm / 1955 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld

Der Dada 3

Magazine / Letterpress / 15.9 x 23.9 cm / Berlin, 1919 / © 2020 Raoul Hausmann / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

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More images

Solarized hands

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22.1 x 27.8 cm / 1929 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld

Adolf Hitler's face

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22 x 27.9 cm / 1932 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld

Lisa Fonssagrives on the Eiffel tower

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22 x 29.1 cm / 1939 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld

Juliette Greco

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22.2 x 27.8 cm / 1951 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld

Nude under wet silk

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22.1 x 29.7 cm / 1937 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld

Can-Can dancer

Original photography / Heliogravure / 22 x 26.9 cm / 1943 / © 2020 The Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld