Artist Profile

Georg Baselitz

Georg Baselitz is a German painter and sculptor best known for his expressive, figurative works and his signature technique of painting subjects upside down to emphasize the artifice of the medium.

Biography

Born in Germany, Georg Baselitz emerged as a significant figure in the 1960s, gaining recognition for his expressive approach to figurative painting. He sought to move beyond the content-driven nature of traditional representation, leading him to develop his distinctive practice of inverting his subjects in 1969, a stylistic hallmark that has defined his career for decades.

His work draws from a diverse range of influences, including Mannerist art, Soviet-era illustration, and African sculpture. Working across painting, sculpture, and graphic arts, Baselitz explores themes of national identity and technical evolution, often utilizing bold, gestural marks to challenge the viewer's perception of the image.

Baselitz remains a central figure in contemporary art, with his work frequently featured in major institutional exhibitions. Recent highlights include dual exhibitions at the Museum der Moderne Salzburg, a retrospective of his woodcuts and etchings at the Kunstmuseum Schloss Derneburg, and the inclusion of his work in the Duerckheim collection at the Serralves Foundation.

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Notable Works

  • Hero · 1965Painting
  • New Type · 1966Painting
  • Eroi d'Oro · 2026Painting

Career Highlights

  • 2026Dual exhibitions at Museum der Moderne Salzburg
  • 2026Solo exhibition Eroi d'Oro at Thaddaeus Ropac
  • 2026Time for New Heroes exhibition at Kunstmuseum Schloss Derneburg
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From The Cultural Signal

Seoul

Thaddaeus Ropac to Show Lee Kang So and Georg Baselitz in Seoul Fair Presentation

On August 29, 2026, Thaddaeus Ropac announced a presentation uniting Lee Kang So and the late Georg Baselitz at an art fair in Seoul.

ContemporarySeoulLee Kang SoGeorg Baselitz
Seoul

Thaddaeus Ropac Announces Baselitz Retrospective and Lee Kang So Exhibition in Seoul

On August 26, 2026, Thaddaeus Ropac announced that the Sehwa Museum of Art will present a broad retrospective of Georg Baselitz, encompassing 60 years of the artist's work. It is the first Korean exhibition since Baselitz's death earlier this year.

Post-WarContemporarySeoulRetrospective
Georg Baselitz to Present New Gold-Background Paintings at Palazzo Cini in Venice

Georg Baselitz to Present New Gold-Background Paintings at Palazzo Cini in Venice

Georg Baselitz, the 87-year-old German painter known for his upside-down compositions, has completed a new cycle of large-scale paintings featuring his wife Elke Kretzschmar and himself. The works, some over four meters high, are executed in black on gold or gold on black backgrounds.

ContemporaryGermanyVenicePainting
Galerie Max Hetzler Announces Eddie Martinez's Albertina Drawing Show, Newark Sculpture, and Museum Tour

Galerie Max Hetzler Announces Eddie Martinez's Albertina Drawing Show, Newark Sculpture, and Museum Tour

On August 19, 2026, Galerie Max Hetzler announced a series of Eddie Martinez projects, led by a presentation at the Albertina Klosterneuburg pairing 350 works on paper by Martinez with drawings by Georg Baselitz, part of 'Donated with Love.' His debut monograph, 'Eddie Martinez: 20 Years of Paint.

ContemporaryDrawingPublic ArtNew York
Seoul

Sehwa Museum of Art Plans Georg Baselitz Retrospective, Thaddaeus Ropac Says

On August 13, 2026, the Sehwa Museum of Art announced a retrospective covering the 60-year career of Georg Baselitz (1938–2026), the first exhibition in Korea since the artist's death.

Post-WarContemporarySeoulGeorg Baselitz
Centre Pompidou Announces 'Cezanne et nous' at Grand Palais With 180 Works

Centre Pompidou Announces 'Cezanne et nous' at Grand Palais With 180 Works

On August 14, 2026, Centre Pompidou announced "Cezanne et nous," an exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris pairing works by Paul Cezanne (1839–1906) with paintings by Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian, Joan Mitchell, Bridget Riley and Peter Doig.

ModernContemporaryPost-WarParis
Georg Baselitz, Influential German Painter, Dies at 88; Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery Announces Exhibition

Georg Baselitz, Influential German Painter, Dies at 88; Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery Announces Exhibition

Georg Baselitz (1938–2026), the German painter and sculptor whose upside-down motifs and provocative political themes reshaped European art after World War II, has died. The gallery Thaddaeus Ropac, which represented him, announced the news alongside a new exhibition at Gl.

ContemporaryPost-WarEuropeGeorg Baselitz
Seoul

White Cube Returns to Frieze Seoul With Hatoum, El Anatsui, Baselitz; Marina Rheingantz Solo Show Opens Concurrently

White Cube is returning to the fifth edition of Frieze Seoul, taking place from September 2 to September 5, 2026, with works by a roster of international artists including Mona Hatoum, El Anatsui, Georg Baselitz, Sara Flores, Theaster Gates, Marguerite Humeau, Park Seo-Bo, Tesfaye Urgessa, Marina.

ContemporarySeoulLondonGallery Expansion
Thaddaeus Ropac Presents Georg Baselitz's Last Sculpture at Salzburg Festival

Thaddaeus Ropac Presents Georg Baselitz's Last Sculpture at Salzburg Festival

Thaddaeus Ropac is presenting Georg Baselitz's final sculptural work, 'Stravinsky' (2026), in the foyer of the Großes Festspielhaus during the Salzburg Festival.

ContemporarySalzburgGeorg Baselitz
London

The Courtauld Gallery Receives Major Gift of 20th-Century Drawings Including Works by Cézanne and Twombly

The Courtauld Gallery has received a gift of 20th-century drawings and watercolors that addresses gaps in its representation of draughtsmanship. The works include watercolors by Cézanne and drawings by Cy Twombly, Georg Baselitz, Joseph Beuys and Louis Soutter.

ModernContemporaryLondonWorks on Paper

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