Weimar

by Candida Höfer

The German city of Weimar, home to illustrious Renaissance and Baroque artists such as Cranach and Bach, became a major place of pilgrimage in the 18th century. With her famous library and with distinguished literary circles, Duchess Anna Amalia laid the foundations for the flourishing of literary expression in the city. Her son, Duke Karl August, called Herder, Goethe and Schiller to his court. With them, Weimar became the center of German intellectual life, the "city of poets and thinkers"--a reputation Weimar has nurtured to the present day. For her libraries project, Candida Hofer photographed the Duchess Anna Amalia Library in 2004. Shortly afterwards it fell victim to a fire. In summer 2006, she focused on historic interior the Goethe National Museum, the Residential Palace and other castles, as well as various theaters. Hofer's photographic style perfectly captures Weimar's special aura. Her strictly composed pictures seem to contain the spirit of the Enlightenment.

120 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

Candida Höfer (German, b.1944) is a photographer known for her large-format images of architectural interiors, which address the psychological environment of social and cultural institutions by acknowledging how public spaces are designed to accommodate and inform the public. After completing studies at the Cologne Werkschule, she enrolled in the Düsseldorf School of Art, where she was taught by Bernd and Hilla Becher, heavily influenced by the formal qualities of the austere documentary photography they endorsed.

Along with fellow German artists Thomas Struth, Andreas Gursky, and Thomas Ruff, Höfer's work became internationally recognized in the 1980s, and her subject matter expanded to include a myriad of places rooted in cultural formation and preservation, including museums, libraries, universities, theaters, civic centers, and historic sites. She has held numerous solo exhibitions throughout Europe and the United States, and her work has been included in several group shows at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Documenta XI in Kassel, and the Museum Ludwig in Cologne. In 2003, Höfer represented Germany in the Venice Biennale with fellow compatriot, Martin Kippenberger. She lives and works in Cologne, Germany.

Reviews

[Auntie Terror · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pictures in this book are very beautiful in their "construction", though a bit on the pale and overly bright side in parts. The texts, sadly, contain a lot of pathos without being catching. Still, it's a lovely reminder of my holiday in Weimar, especially as I only had a black and white film on me (which is a pity if you think of the interior of the historical houses). Thusly, 3.3 stars.