Current language: English

Photography Tells Sculpture

Die Ausstellung verbindet die Skulpturensammlung des Bode-Museums mit dem bislang wenig bekannten Fotoarchiv des Hauses.

  • Unbekannte*r Fotograf*in, Putto auf einem Delphin, 1967

    Unbekannte*r Fotograf*in, Putto auf einem Delphin, 1967

  • Clarence Kennedy (1892-1972), Prinzessin von Urbino, vor 1928

    Clarence Kennedy (1892-1972), Prinzessin von Urbino, vor 1928

  • Gustav Schwarz (1871-1958), Dornauszieher, vor 1939

    Gustav Schwarz (1871-1958), Dornauszieher, vor 1939

  • Unbekannte*r Fotograf*in, Johannes (Detail), 1927/29

    Unbekannte*r Fotograf*in, Johannes (Detail), 1927/29

Today, we are more likely to encounter sculptures in photographs than in person. These images shape how we see, remember, and understand three-dimensional art. Photography Tells Sculpture explores this shift in perspective by placing sculptures and their photographic representations in direct conversation, inviting visitors to experience the act of seeing in a whole new way.

The exhibition features over sixty photographs from the late 19th century to the present, alongside seven carefully selected sculptures dating from the 11th to the 17th century. Organized into nine thematic chapters, it reveals how photographic techniques—such as lighting, framing, and perspective—stage and interpret sculptural forms.

By linking the Bode Museum’s sculpture collection with its previously little-known photographic archive, the exhibition offers fresh insights into both media. A richly illustrated catalogue accompanies the show, with contributions from Dr. Franziska Lampe (Photothek, Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte, Munich), Prof. Dr. Kathrin Müller (Institute for Art and Visual History, Humboldt University, Berlin), and other experts, providing in-depth perspectives from across the field of art history.

Runtime: Thu, 16/07/2026 to Sun, 04/10/2026

Takes place here:

The help page for the event calendar answers common questions.. Information about coperations and imprint can be found on our page about partners and terms and conditions.