Georg
Baselitz
Georg Baselitz is renowned for his provocative, thought-provoking inverted paintings. If you’re looking for original Georg Baselitz paintings for sale or would like to sell, request a complimentary valuation and browse our network’s most in-demand works.
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Biography
Born in 1938, Baselitz grew up amidst the ruins of a Germany ravaged by World War II, an experience that deeply influenced his perspective on life and art. He began painting as a young boy, and in 1956, he moved to East Berlin to study. However, his nonconformist style soon clashed with the socialist realism promoted by the regime, prompting his transfer to West Berlin’s University of the Arts. This move proved pivotal, as it exposed him to a broader range of influences, including the works of the Art Informel and Abstract Expressionist movements.
Baselitz's career underwent several significant transformations, yet he consistently focused on the human figure and traditional motifs, often deconstructing and reconstructing them to explore themes of identity and history. The 1960s saw him develop his Heroes paintings – gritty, unsettling depictions of solitary figures that reflected the anxiety of post-war Germany. By the late 1960s, Baselitz began his iconic practice of inverting his subjects, a technique that became a hallmark of his work. This inversion disrupts the viewer's expectations, compelling a focus on the formal aspects of painting rather than the content alone.
Although Baselitz is known for his individualistic style, he was part of a group of Neo-Expressionist artists in the 1970s and 1980s who were collectively interested in exploring German identity through their art. His work was also influenced by the likes of Willem de Kooning and Joseph Beuys, whose bold, gestural paintings informed Baselitz's own textural and expressive approach.