598 - Franz Schensky* (Helgoland 1871 - 1957 Schleswig)

Franz Schensky* (Helgoland 1871 - 1957 Schleswig) Wave study, 1925 Vintage gelatin silver print 37,7 x 57 cm Photographer’s blindstamp in lower right some edge wear, mounted SCHÄTZPREIS / ESTIMATE € 1200 - 2400 STARTPREIS / STARTING PRICE € 1200 Franz Schensky (1871–1957) was a German photographer best known for his images of the North Sea island of Heligoland and its surrounding seascape. A pharmacist by profession, he became a key chronicler of the island, documenting its coastline, cliffs, surf, ships, and changing weather in numerous black-and-white photographs. His work combines precise observation of nature with a powerful atmospheric quality, making the unique light and weather conditions of the North Sea central elements of his visual language. His dramatic shots of storms, waves, and the island's distinctive red cliffs are particularly significant as historical visual records of Heligoland. Schensky’s work belongs to the tradition of German landscape and travel photography while simultaneously representing the development of a distinct style of marine photography. His work emerged against the backdrop of 19th-century photographers such as Hermann Biow, Carl Friedrich Mylius, and Friedrich Goerke, who focused extensively on landscapes, architecture, and travel imagery. Schensky adapted this tradition to the North Sea, developing a style of landscape photography centered on movement, light, and weather. Consequently, terms such as landscape photography, marine photography, maritime photography, North Sea photography, coastal photography, storm photography, and Heligoland define key aspects of his photographic oeuvre. PLEASE NOTE: The purchase price consists of the highest bid plus the buyer's premium, sales tax and, if applicable, the fee of artists resale rights and platform fee. In the case of normal taxation (marked ° at the estimate), a premium of 24% is added to the highest bid. The mandatory sales tax is added to the sum of the highest bid, the buyer's premium and platform fee. This amounts to 13% for paintings, drawings, graphic works and sculptures and 20% for photographs and all other items. The buyer's premium amounts to 28% in case of differential taxation. The sales tax is included in the differential taxation.