Herbert Tobias (1924–1982): Exploring a German Photographer's Diverse Oeuvre in Retrospective

This exhibition showcases the diverse oeuvre of Herbert Tobias (1924–1982), a prominent German photographer known for his fashion shots, portraits of cultural figures, and erotic photography. The retrospective explores his career from his early work as a soldier to his later, more intimate images.

Herbert Tobias (1924–1982) was an enfant terrible among German photographers of the post-war era, achieving stardom with his glamorous fashion shots in the 1950s before consciously abandoning his career in the mid-1960s. This exhibition, featuring around 150 exhibits, presents the full variety of his work for the first time, drawing from the collection of the Berlinische Galerie. It traces his photographic journey from his early days as a 19-year-old soldier on the eastern front, through his work in Paris and Berlin, to his significant body of erotic photographs of men, which appeared with varying intensity throughout his career. Tobias used photography as an outlet for his desires and obsessions, aiming to convey inner images and existential feelings rather than simply fixing visible reality. His photographs possess an enduring immediacy and presence, transcending time. The retrospective highlights the salient moods and attitudes that defined Tobias’ worldview. His pictures are characterized by low-key, fanciful notes, melancholy, and longing, yet he also emerges as a choreographer of great performances and a narrator of mysterious tales. Consistently, Tobias appears as a homosexual artist; in his images of men, the central theme of his oeuvre, he masterfully captures erotically charged looks and poetic sensuality. In the prudish Adenauer era, when homosexuality was still punishable by law, his work also represented a significant political statement.

Admission is voluntary. Last entry to the exhibition is strictly 30 minutes before closing time. Please note that the museum is closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and visitor hours may vary. Please check the website for current opening times and last entry details as information may be subject to change. The address is Alšovo nábřeží 12, 110 00 Prague 1.