Bernd and Hilla Becher

Image VI from Typologies
Digital pigment print (Ditone) on photo paper, 90 x 112 cm (35½ x 44 in). Edition of 40, signed "B. + H. Becher" on label verso by H. Becher, numbered.

In this edition from their Typologies series, Bernd and Hilla Becher bring their signature approach of objectivity and formal rigor to the fore. As in all of their photographic works, the sober, systematic recording of industrial architecture gives rise to visual groupings that reveal structural similarities and functional logic. Beginning in 1959, the artists developed a method rooted in comparison and repetition – placing functionally and formally related buildings side by side to articulate patterns and variations. This serial approach culminates in the typologies that define their practice, with each image serving as both an individual document and part of a larger conceptual whole. The meticulous arrangement and careful balancing of visual weight within the grid play a central role, transforming documentation into a striking visual taxonomy of industrial form.

EUR 4,000

Image VII from Typologies
Digital pigment print (Ditone) on photo paper, 90 x 112 cm (35½ x 44 in). Edition of 40, signed "B. + H. Becher" on label verso by H. Becher, numbered.

In the Typlogies series, of which this edition is a part, as in all of Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs, objectivity and formal stringency prevail, whereby the sober registration of the factual almost inevitably leads to the formation of series. When the artists began their work in 1959, the juxtaposition of functionally and structurally similar buildings became a pool from which a strategy characteristic of their work emerged. The serial principle leads to the typologies of industrial buildings that predominate in their work. The precise arrangement and balancing of the visual weighting within the overall tableau plays a pivotal role here.

From Forty Are Better Than One
5-part leporello, digital pigment print (Ditone) on 260 g Hahnemühle Baryta paper, 32 x 125 cm (12½ x 49¼ in). Edition of 75,  signed "B. + H. Becher" by Hilla Becher and numbered on verso.

For the edition Förderturm Zeche Waltrop, Bernd und Hilla Becher turned their typological lens toward the winding tower of the Waltrop coal mine. Captured from five subtly shifting viewpoints, the image series isolates and examines the architectural form with their hallmark precision and neutrality. The consistent lighting and frontal compositions emphasize structural logic over expressive effect. Unlike the Bechers’ more familiar grids of varied examples, this edition focuses on the sculptural presence of a single industrial object, observed in the round. Originally photographed in 1982 and published as an edition in 2009 – on the occasion of Edition Schellmann's 40th anniversary –, the work reflects their sustained interest in industrial vernaculars and the quiet monumentality of obsolete technologies.

EUR 3,000

Image IV from Typologies
Digital pigment print (Ditone) on photo paper, 90 x 112 cm (35½ x 44 in). Edition of 40, signed "B. + H. Becher" by Hilla Becher and numbered on verso.

In the Typlogies series, of which this edition is a part, as in all of Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs, objectivity and formal stringency prevail, whereby the sober registration of the factual almost inevitably leads to the formation of series. When the artists began their work in 1959, the juxtaposition of functionally and structurally similar buildings became a pool from which a strategy characteristic of their work emerged. The serial principle leads to the typologies of industrial buildings that predominate in their work. The precise arrangement and balancing of the visual weighting within the overall tableau plays a pivotal role here.

Image V from Typologies
Digital pigment print (Ditone) on photo paper, 90 x 112 cm (35½ x 44 in). Edition of 40, signed "B. + H. Becher" by Hilla Becher and numbered on verso.

In the Typlogies series, as in all of Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs, objectivity and formal stringency prevail, whereby the sober registration of the factual almost inevitably leads to the formation of series. When the artists began their work in 1959, the juxtaposition of functionally and structurally similar buildings became a pool from which a strategy characteristic of their work emerged. The serial principle leads to the typologies of industrial buildings that predominate in their work. The precise arrangement and balancing of the visual weighting plays a pivotal role here.

As central elements of the steel industry, blast furnaces were used to extract pig iron and, with their characteristic architecture, shaped the appearance of industrial regions. Their unmistakable shape makes them both a symbol of steel production and an iconic testimony to industrial culture.

Image I from Typologies
Digital pigment print (Ditone) on photo paper, 90 x 113 cm (35½ x 44½ in). Edition of 40, signed and numbered on verso.

In the Typlogies series, of which this edition is a part, as in all of Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs, objectivity and formal stringency prevail, whereby the sober registration of the factual almost inevitably leads to the formation of series. When the artists began their work in 1959, the juxtaposition of functionally and structurally similar buildings became a pool from which a strategy characteristic of their work emerged. The serial principle leads to the typologies of industrial buildings – in this work winding towers – that predominate in their work. The precise arrangement and balancing of the visual weighting within the overall tableau plays a pivotal role here.

Image II from Typologies
Digital pigment print (Ditone) on photo paper, 90 x 93 cm (35½ x 36½ in). Edition of 40, signed and numbered on verso.

In the Typlogies series, of which this edition is a part, as in all of Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs, objectivity and formal stringency prevail, whereby the sober registration of the factual almost inevitably leads to the formation of series. When the artists began their work in 1959, the juxtaposition of functionally and structurally similar buildings became a pool from which a strategy characteristic of their work emerged. The serial principle leads to the typologies of industrial buildings that predominate in their work. The precise arrangement and balancing of the visual weighting within the overall tableau plays a pivotal role here.

Image III from Typologies
Digital pigment print (Ditone) on photo paper, 90 x 112 cm (35½ x 44 in). Edition of 40, signed and numbered on verso.

In the Typlogies series, of which this edition is a part, as in all of Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs, objectivity and formal stringency prevail, whereby the sober registration of the factual almost inevitably leads to the formation of series. When the artists began their work in 1959, the juxtaposition of functionally and structurally similar buildings became a pool from which a strategy characteristic of their work emerged. The serial principle leads to the typologies of industrial buildings – in this case, gravel plants – that predominate in their work. The precise arrangement and balancing of the visual weighting within the overall tableau plays a pivotal role here.

EUR 5,000

From Sequences
Two duotone offset lithographs on white board. Each print 50 x 40 cm (19¾ x 15¾ in). Edition of 60 +X, each signed and numbered.

Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs of blast furnaces show prototypical plants that have been in operation across Europe and the USA since the 1960s. The photographs were taken either during their use or shortly after their decommissioning. As central elements of the steel industry, blast furnaces were used to produce pig iron and, with their characteristic architecture, they shaped the appearance of industrial regions. Their unmistakable shape makes them both a symbol of steel production and an iconic testimony to industrial culture.

Set EUR 4,000

Portfolio of 12 duotone offset prints, each print 63 x 50 cm, (24¾ x 19¾ in). Edition of 50, each signed and numbered.

Some images are also available individually, see additional images.

Fachwerkhäuser (half-timbered houses) are a hallmark of traditional German architecture, characterized by exposed wooden frameworks filled with materials like brick, clay, or plaster. Dating back to the Middle Ages, these buildings are found across Germany, with regional variations in style and decoration. Their intricate timber patterns and craftsmanship reflect both structural ingenuity and cultural heritage. This portfolio depicts 12 such – all located in the artists’ hometown Siegen – houses in Bernd and Hilla Becher’s iconic style that is characterized by a systematic, documentary approach and emphasizes objectivity and typology. As a whole, the exposed beams' orthogonal grid with triangular reinforcements create interesting and diverse structures.