Berlin, Paris and elsewhere

Mario von Bucovich (1884-1947) was one of the most important portrait photographers of the 1920s. He had a significant influence on the German-language illustrated press, particularly in the field of glamor photography. His portraits include famous personalities such as Marlene Dietrich, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Leni Riefenstahl. He was also a pioneer of the modern metropolis photo book. His Berlin book, published in 1928, was an outstanding sales success and is still regarded as the most well-received Berlin picture book. Despite this early recognition, he has largely been forgotten. This is mainly due to the constant changes of location and new professional beginnings that the political upheavals of the 20th century forced him to make. Bucovich was a globally networked photographer who constantly developed his style and sought out new challenges, whether as a graphic designer for Agfa, an industrial photographer for BASF or an advertising photographer for the emerging Spanish and Mexican tourism industry. The Kunsthalle Mannheim is now giving him the recognition he deserves and honoring him with the first comprehensive retrospective.