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Sander's Children

Figurative Photography in the Tradition of August Sander.

December 3, 2008 – January 17, 2009

August Sander Forester's Child, Westerwald.  1931

August Sander
Forester's Child, Westerwald. 1931

August Sander Young Farmers.  1914

August Sander
Young Farmers. 1914

August Sander Painter (Anton Raderscheidt). 1926

August Sander
Painter (Anton Raderscheidt). 1926

August Sander Girl in a Fairground Caravan.  c. 1930

August Sander
Girl in a Fairground Caravan. c. 1930

August Sander Country Girls. 1925

August Sander
Country Girls. 1925

Rineke Dijkstra Ponteland High School, Newcastle U.K.  2000

Rineke Dijkstra
Ponteland High School, Newcastle U.K. 2000

Diane Arbus Lady at a masked ball with two roses on her dress.  N.Y.C.  1967

Diane Arbus
Lady at a masked ball with two roses on her dress. N.Y.C. 1967

Diane Arbus Man at a parade on Fifth Avenue.  N.YC.  1969

Diane Arbus
Man at a parade on Fifth Avenue. N.YC. 1969

Lolo Veleko PHUMEZA, 2006

Lolo Veleko
PHUMEZA, 2006

Lolo Veleko Thulani.  2003

Lolo Veleko
Thulani. 2003

Lolo Veleko Cindy and Nkuli.  2004

Lolo Veleko
Cindy and Nkuli. 2004

Richard Avedon Bob Dylan.  New York City.  1965

Richard Avedon
Bob Dylan. New York City. 1965

Milton Rogovin Untitled – from the Lower West Side 1969 – 1973

Milton Rogovin
Untitled – from the Lower West Side 1969 – 1973

Milton Rogovin Untitled – from the Lower West Side 1969 – 1973

Milton Rogovin
Untitled – from the Lower West Side 1969 – 1973

Milton Rogovin Untitled – from the Lower West Side 1969 – 1973

Milton Rogovin
Untitled – from the Lower West Side 1969 – 1973

Milton Rogovin Untitled – from the Lower West Side 1969 – 1973

Milton Rogovin
Untitled – from the Lower West Side 1969 – 1973

Albrecht Tubke From the series "Citizens." London.  2000

Albrecht Tubke
From the series "Citizens." London. 2000

Albrecht Tubke From the series "Citizens."  London.  2001

Albrecht Tubke
From the series "Citizens." London. 2001

Albrecht Tubke From the series "Twins".  2001

Albrecht Tubke
From the series "Twins". 2001

The Sartorialist 6 pictures taken between March and November 2008

The Sartorialist
6 pictures taken between March and November 2008

William Eggleston Untitled. 1974

William Eggleston
Untitled. 1974

Hiroh Kikai An older man with a penetrating gaze.  2001

Hiroh Kikai
An older man with a penetrating gaze. 2001

Hiroh Kikai Celebrating Shichi-go-san, a gala day for girls at ages three and seven.  2001

Hiroh Kikai
Celebrating Shichi-go-san, a gala day for girls at ages three and seven. 2001

Irving Penn Cleaning Women, London.  1950

Irving Penn
Cleaning Women, London. 1950

Irving Penn Lorry Washers, London.  1950

Irving Penn
Lorry Washers, London. 1950

Irving Penn Plumber, New York City.  1950

Irving Penn
Plumber, New York City. 1950

Seydou Keita Fashionable Men.  Mali.  C. 1955

Seydou Keita
Fashionable Men. Mali. C. 1955

Seydou Keita

Seydou Keita

Press Release

The exhibition "Sander's Children" looks at the significant and acknowledged influence August Sander has had on many photographers. Most active from 1914 to 1930, Sander's cool, objective style of portraiture anticipated work ranging from Irving Penn's "Small Trades" series to Richard Avedon's outdoor portraits and has continued to influence photographers to this day.

Sander's credo was simple: "I am not concerned with providing commonplace photographs like those made in the finer large-scale studios of the city, but simple, natural portraits that show the subjects in an environment corresponding to their own individuality."

Sander's monumental photographic project "Man of the Twentieth Century" sought to document the people and typologies of his native Westerwald. He photographed people from all walks of life and became best known for the straightforward full length portraits that recorded his subjects not only with great objectivity but also with a subtle artfulness and psychological depth that has made them the definitive template of what a photographic portrait should be.

The exhibition "Sander's Children" presents work by a selection of photographers who without exception can all recall how Sander's images were a formative influence on their style. Yet each photographer in the show has been able to create their own remarkably distinct style within this tradition. Taken over a period of six decades following Sander's active life as a photographer, the images are both a testament to the enduring legacy of Sander's seminal work and the robustness and extraordinary capacity for renewal of the medium.