Heinz Hajek-Halke (1898 - 1983)

Tirage argentique postérieur. Au verso, signé au feutre noir, avec le tampon d'archive et le numéro d'archive au crayon et annoté Katharina HHH, geb. Berger d'une main inconnue.

Silver print, printed later. On the reverse, signed in black felt tip pen, with the archive stamp and the archive number in pencil, annotated Katharina HHH, geb. Berger by an unknown hand.

This exceptionally small print is in excellent condition. It has a glossy surface.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"Gassenhauer", l'interprétation de la chanson populaire moderne des années 1920 de HHH, est l'une de ses photographies les plus importantes. Il n'existe aucun tirage d'époque de cette image dans les archives; il s'agit ici d'un tirage postérieur, probablement des années 1960.

"Gassenhauer", HHH's interpretation of the modern pop song in the late 1920s, is one of his most important photographs. No vintage prints exists of this image in the archive; the print offered here was printed later, probably in the 1960s.

"The harmless title tempers the severity of of the compositional structure. This consists of mere fragments, the head of a woman singing, hands playing a keyboard but neither physiognomically or compositionally suited to the head, and the formidable mechanics, which not only spread out over the face of the singer like a headache, but set the whole image vibrating. A reflection of a splintered world, full of brutality and cruelty, even in its meaningless pleasures. [...] The blunt directness with which Hajek-Halke treated this relatively commonplace subject was one that [John] Heartflied used only against his political enemies, the Social Democrats and the National Socialists, and then with a coldness fed by hatred." (Klaus Honnef: Heinz Hajek-Halke, dans Heinz Hajek-Halke. Artist, Anarchist, Göttingen, Steidl, 2005, p. 37.)