Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Georg Baselitz, Provocative Giant of Postwar Art, Dies at 88

His inverted images redefined postwar figuration.

Overview

  • Baselitz, who died Thursday at 88, was confirmed dead by his Salzburg gallery, which cited his family.
  • The German-born painter became famous for turning subjects upside down, starting with Der Wald auf dem Kopf in 1969.
  • He first drew fierce public attention in 1963 when prosecutors seized works like Die große Nacht im Eimer over alleged obscenity.
  • Major museums such as MoMA and Tate hold his large canvases, and honors include the Praemium Imperiale and roles in leading academies.
  • He lived in Salzburg, gained Austrian citizenship in 2015, and is survived by his wife, Elke, and sons Daniel Blau and Anton Kern, as local shows now serve as farewells.