Frieda Gertrud Riess

About the Artist

Frieda Riess. Selbstbildnis (Self-portrait). 1922. The Granger Collection, New York
Alternate Name(s) Riess (Studio Name)

Meeting Points

Cultural Hubs Berlin
Paris
Exhibitions Foto der Gegenwart, 1929
Publications Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung, 1917–31

Artist Chronology

June 21, 1890	Born At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Czarnków
1898	The Riess family moves to Berlin At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
1907–08	Takes private lessons with a sculptor; learns to use a camera to document her work At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
1913–15	Trains to become a photographic assistant at the Photographisch Lehranstalt–Lette Verein At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
1917–32	Establishes Atelier Riess and makes portraits of artists, performers, and members of high society At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
1917–32	Publishes photographs in Die Dame, Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung, Der Weltspiegel, Wochenschau, Das Illustrierte Blatt, Der Querschnitt, UHU, Das Magazin, and Scherl's Magazin Contributor: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Frankfurt Berlin Essen
1921	Berliner Photographie, an exhibition of the Berlin Photographic Society at the Kunstgewerbemuseum Participant: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
1921–22	Takes photographs for the films Das Weib des Pharao, Das indische Grabmal, and Maciste und die chinesisch Truhe At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin Udaipur
1922	Photokunst Frieda Riess at Friedmann & Weber Participant: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
November 1925	Frieda Gertrud Riess solo exhibition at Galerie Flechtheim Marianne Breslauer, who visited this exhibition at the age of 16, would later write that it inspired her to become a photographer. Visitor: Marianne Breslauer Participant: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
1926	First exhibition at Atelier Riess, Pictures of a Study Trip to Paris Participant: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
December 1927	Solo exhibition at Atelier Riess Organizer: Frieda Gertrud Riess Participant: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
1928	Russische Avantgarde-Bewegungskunst. IV exhibition Participant: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Moscow
November 1928	Englische Köpfe solo exhibition at Atelier Riess Organizer: Frieda Gertrud Riess Participant: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
1929	Römische Köpfe at Atelier Riess Participant: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
1929	Photographs Benito Mussolini At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Italy
January 20–February 17, 1929	Fotografie der Gegenwart at Museum Folkwang Kestner Gesellschaft v.V, Königstrasse 8, Hannover March 10–April 7, 1929 Galerie Neumann-Nierendorf, Lützowstrasse 32, Berlin April 20–May 20, 1929 Whitechapel Art Gallery, London June 6–29, 1929 Frankfurter Kunstverein, Frankfurt July 7–August 8, 1929 Leipziger Kunstverein, Augustusplatz 6, Leipzig August 18–September 8, 1929 Lichthof des Neuen Rathauses, Dresden September 15–October 6, 1929 Kunstverein, Rostock October 20-November 10, 1929 am Adolf-Mittag-See, Städtisches Ausstellungsamt, Magdeburg November 28–December 19, 1929 Landesgewerbeanstalt, Kaiserslautern February 23–March 23, 1930 Vereinigung Göttinger Kunstfreunde, Göttingen May 18–June 8, 1930 Participant: Berenice Abbott, Herbert Bayer, Aenne Biermann, Max Burchartz, Florence Henri, Lotte Jacobi, André Kertész, Germaine Krull, El Lissitzky, Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), László Moholy-Nagy, Walter A. Peterhans, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Hans Richter, August Sander, Umbo (Otto Umbehr), Lucia Moholy, Karl Blossfeldt, Erich Comeriner, Eli Lotar, Oskar Nerlinger, Robert Petschow, Frieda Gertrud Riess, Sasha Stone, Hans Finsler, Paul Edmund Hahn, Cami Stone	Essen
1930	Gezeichnet oder Geknipst exhibition Participant: Helmar Lerski, Frieda Gertrud Riess, Yva (Else Simon)	Berlin
1930	Meets French diplomat Pierre de Margerie, who becomes a companion and her protector from the Nazis At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
October–November 1930	Die Gestaltende Frau exhibition Participant: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Berlin
1932–50s	Lives in Paris At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Paris
December 19, 1932–January 20, 1933	Prima Biennale internazionale d'arte fotografica at the Palazzo del CNI Participant: Anton Giulio Bragaglia, Frieda Gertrud Riess, Yva (Else Simon), Arturo Bragaglia	Rome
1936	Illness leads to paralysis, impairing her ability to photograph and travel At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Paris
1938	Begins using the pseudonym Riess de Belsine to mask her Jewish identity At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Paris
1942	Loses her protection from the Nazis when Pierre de Margeries dies. Riess is increasingly housebound due to paralysis and paranoia At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Paris
1957	Dies At location: Frieda Gertrud Riess	Paris

Walther Photographs

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About the Artist

Meeting Points

Artist Chronology

Walther Photographs