Germaine Krull German, 1897-1985

A pioneer of photographic reportage, Germaine Krull is an emblematic figure of the 1920s and 1940s avant-garde. 

Born in Germany in 1897, she was expelled from Munich in 1918 for revolutionary activities. She then settled in Berlin, specializing in portraiture before pursuing her photographic career in the Netherlands and then in Paris. 

Bringing the New Vision’s geometry into her photographs, she devoted her famous series Métal (1928) to metal architecture, bridges and counter-dips. For the magazine VU, she produced photographic reports on popular districts and the Paris « zone «. 

Fascinated by the hands, she spotted during her reports the expressive gestures of her subjects and places them at the heart of her artist portraits.