Albert Renger-Patzsch
1897–1966 · Germany
The structure of things, from plant to factory.
The story
Albert Renger-Patzsch sought precise descriptions of plants, objects, buildings and industrial landscapes. His book Die Welt ist schön, published in 1928, brings these families of forms together. Associated with New Objectivity, he championed the distinctive means of photography: sharpness, texture and viewpoint. His work on the Ruhr connects this formal attention to tangible changes in the landscape.
Understanding the work
Compare the structure of a plant with that of a machine. Repetition, texture and framing create connections without erasing the objects’ functions.
Key works and series
Die Welt ist schön; plants; industrial landscapes of the Ruhr.
Sources & further exploration
Works in collections.
10 recordsPhotographs to explore on museum and library websites, with titles, dates and processes. Each link opens the collection record and its image where one is available.
