The Düsseldorf School of Photography

Now reissued in an attractively priced, compact edition, this classic and authoritative survey is the first detailed account of a seminal era in photographic history.

Inspired and guided by Bernd and Hiller Becher, themselves pioneers in the area of documentary photography, the artists of Germany’s Düsseldorf School not only pushed the boundaries of their teachers’ practice, but also ushered in three generations of technical and compositional achievement that is rivalled in importance only by the arrival of color photography. This book introduces readers to the historic, cultural, and scientific environments in which the Bechers’ practice thrived. It explores the teaching philosophies with which they encouraged their students, and considers the qualities that highlight the Düsseldorf School: intricate detail, large scale, painterly distance combined with an immersive quality. The plate section, organized by artist, features 160 beautifully reproduced images by Andreas Gursky, Thomas Struth, Thomas Ruff, Candida Höfer, Axel Hütte, Laurenz Berges, Elger Esser, Simone Nieweg, Jörg Sasse, and Petra Wunderlich.

Stefan Gronert is curator for photography at the Sprengel Museum in Hanover, Germany.