Vintage silver print 39,7 x 29,7 cm (15.6 x 11.7 in)
Signed and annotated by the photographer in pencil on the reverse
PROVENANCE directly from the photographer
LITERATURE F.C. Gundlach, Das fotografische Werk 1950-1975, Germany 1989, p. 54; Klaus Honnef/Hans-Michael Koetzle (ed.), F.C. Gundlach - Das fotografische Werk, Göttingen 2008, p. 86-87.

Born in Hesse in 1926, F. C. Gundlach was among the pioneers of early German fashion photography; in addition, he is known as an entrepreneur, collector, funder and founding director of the Museum “Haus der Photographie” in Hamburg. His work for leading fashion journals like Film und Frau or Brigitte reflects the changes of fashion, but also the transformation of the female image and ideals of beauty. “Toward the end of the 1950s I felt that times were changing, society was changing and style with it,” the photographer recounts. “I bought a miniature camera, which was unusual at the time, and shot a series for Nino Fabrics.” The present vintage print is from that advertising campaign for the fashion label, among the leading ones at the time, shot at the port of Hamburg.
The miniature camera gave him greater mobility and the short focal distance he preferred close contact with the model. His background in photo journalism strongly influenced Gundlach’s approach, as this fashion series emphasises. Gundlach took the picture of the model walking down the harbour steps, getting into a boat, or at the next-door bar with cigarette in hand; his images always included random passers-by. The background of his images, in keeping with the theme in question, was very important to Gundlach. It is no coincidence that the raincoat – Nino Fabrics’ signature product – is featured in the harbour area, an urban and rough neighbourhood where the garment offers protection from the weather and daily life.