German artist Georg Baselitz dies aged 88

April 30, 2026

TL;DR

Georg Baselitz, a highly influential German artist known for his expressive paintings and sculptures, has died at 88.
His work frequently engaged with German history, collective guilt, and the aftermath of war.
Baselitz gained recognition for his distinctive technique of painting canvases upside down, starting in 1969.
He was also a graphic artist and sculptor, with one wooden sculpture depicting a Nazi salute causing a stir at the Venice Biennale in 1980.
Baselitz's career spanned over six decades, and he was considered one of Germany's most prominent contemporary visual artists.
He moved from East to West Berlin in 1957 and adopted the name Baselitz in 1961.
He faced controversy early in his career with the confiscation of sexually symbolic paintings in 1963.
Baselitz achieved international breakthrough in the early 1980s and was one of the highest-priced living German painters.
He expressed strong opinions on the art market and was critical of certain artistic traditions and peers.
Baselitz made controversial statements about female artists but later expressed admiration for some.
His work was admired by politicians, including former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.

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