Horst P. Horst, Fashion Photographer

Posted by Brian Russelburg on April 3, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Vogue Fashion photographer Horst P. Horst made extraordinary contributions to the art of photography by his brilliant use of light and shadow which created elegance, style and glamour. Heavily influenced by the 1930’s art movements of Classicism and Surrealism, he created a sense of mystery in his subjects by his purposeful and well placed use of shadow.

Born in 1906 to middle class shop owners in Germany, Horst Paul Albert Bohrman, studied Architecture at the Hamburg School of Design. Horst soon became fascinated with photography after meeting and befriending French Vogue photographer, Hoyningen Huene, eventually becoming his assistant. Within 6 years Bohrman’s (Horst’s) photography had also appeared in the French Vogue magazine.

He came to the United States in 1935 to avoid the war and became a citizen in 1943, changing his name to Horst P. Horst. His most productive era was the late 30’s and early 1940’s. His work spanned 60 years until his death in 1999 covering genre’s of Fashion, Still life and Nudes. Horst P. Horst was a regular contributer to the American and British Vogue as well as House and Garden. His photography work has been shown in many galleries.