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Ellen von Unwerth Photography

German, b. 1954

Ellen von Unwerth is a director and photographer whose bold and erotic images of women have left an indelible mark on the visual landscape of the fashion world.

Born in Frankfurt, Germany, von Unwerth was a model in Paris for nearly a decade before turning to photography. Her 1989 images of Claudia Schiffer for a Guess jeans campaign, echoing the playfully feminine style of 1950s pinups, earned both Schiffer and von Unwerth wide attention. Over the years, her work has been featured regularly in magazines like Interview, Vanity Fair, Vogue, I-D and The Face, appearing on covers and in both editorial and commercial contexts. In 1991, she won first prize at the International Festival of Fashion Photography.

Von Unwerth’s 1995 photoshoot of Drew Barrymore for Playboy magazine is among her most popular work and, coupled with an array of album covers for such artists as Janet Jackson and Britney Spears, gave her standing as a celebrity photographer beyond the borders of the fashion world. Von Unwerth’s pictures have a distinctive look and feel, with saturated colors and dense compositions, while also, in certain cases, paying homage to great photographers of the 20th century.

The 2015 Tree of Love, Bavaria, in which a nude model reclines inside the heart-shaped hollow of an enormous decaying trunk, recalls Edward Weston’s sensuous use of the body’s geometry in his compositions. And the dramatically lit Tic Tac Toe from 2010, showing a scantily clad woman posing on a city street at night, evokes Helmut Newton’s atmospheric photograph of a model wearing Yves St. Laurent’s Le Smoking jacket, shot for French Vogue in 1975.

Von Unwerth has published several books of her photographs, including Revenge, in 2003, and Fräulein, in 2009. Those volumes have been joined by one showcasing the photos of her series “Heimat,” in which she playfully combines visual tropes of traditional Bavarian life with her signature eroticism and wit. She is represented by several dealers, including the Staley-Wise Gallery, in New York, and Galerie Trabant, in Kitzbühel, Austria.

Find original Ellen von Unwerth photography on 1stDibs.

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Color:  White
Artist: Ellen von Unwerth
Sangria - two models taking a bath with strawberries
By Ellen von Unwerth
Located in Vienna, AT
Sangria - two models taking a bath with strawberries. A fantastic artwork by Ellen von Unwerth available in a limited edition of 15 made and signed by Ellen von Unwerth. Other size...
Category

2010s Contemporary Ellen von Unwerth Photography

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Archival Pigment

Snow White - nude model with an apple between rocks, fine art photography, 2015
By Ellen von Unwerth
Located in Vienna, AT
Other sizes and high-end framing on request. Ellen von Unwerth is one of the world's most famous and influential photographers. Her artistic achievements have been honored with trul...
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2010s Contemporary Ellen von Unwerth Photography

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Archival Pigment

Sangria
By Ellen von Unwerth
Located in New York, NY
All editions signed by the photographer.
Category

2010s Ellen von Unwerth Photography

Cat and Fish: Estella Warren
By Ellen von Unwerth
Located in New York, NY
All editions signed by the photographer.
Category

1990s Ellen von Unwerth Photography

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Ellen Von Unwerth photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Ellen von Unwerth photography available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of photography to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of orange, red, blue and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Ellen von Unwerth in pigment print, archival pigment print, silver gelatin print and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Ellen von Unwerth photography, so small editions measuring 12 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Frank Schott, Joachim Schmeisser, and Guido Argentini.

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