HORST ANTES German, b. 1936

Horst Antes (born 1936 in Heppenheim) is considered one of the leading figures of postwar German art. After studying at the State Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsruhe—where he later became a professor—he developed his distinctive “Kopffüßler” (head-foot) figures in the 1960s. These archaic, stylized human forms became his trademark and established his international reputation. His work spans painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture and is associated with the New Figuration. It addresses fundamental human and existential questions, often drawing on archaic and mythological imagery. His visual language is defined by clear contours, reduced forms, and a strong sense of symbolism. His works are held in major international collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Tate Gallery in London, as well as leading German institutions such as the Städel Museum and the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen. Today, Horst Antes lives and works in Karlsruhe and Italy.