Franz Roh
author · photographer
Franz Roh was a German art historian, photographer, and critic who played a significant role in the development of modernist aesthetics. He is most renowned for coining the term 'magic realism' (Magischer Realismus) in his 1925 work, which described a return to figural representation following Expressionism by emphasizing the phenomenological 'magic' of everyday objects. Roh was an active photographer who favored images that avoided mimicking painting or drawing, focusing instead on the unique visual language of photography. During the Nazi regime, he faced persecution and imprisonment for his writings, including 'Foto-Auge'. After World War II, he continued to influence art theory until his death in Munich.[1]
- Magic Realism
- Phenomenology
- Modernist Aesthetics
Books
Works by Franz Roh
- 1929 Foto-Auge (Photo-Eye) Original publication; the book in question is a facsimile edition.
- 1925 Nach-Expressionismus: Magischer Realismus: Probleme der neuesten europäischen Malerei Coined the term 'magic realism'.
- Der Verkannte Künstler: Geschichte und Theorie des kulturellen Mißverstehens Written during his imprisonment.
References
- Franz Roh. Wikipedia link