Umbo
1928-1929
[Grock's dressing room with his wife and assistant]
[Grock]

Gelatin silver print
23.8 x 17.9 cm
 
Bassenge Photography Auctions
Courtesy of Bassenge, Berlin (Photography, Dec 2, 2009, Sale: 94, Lot: 4397)
 
Stamp Copyright by DEUTSCHER PHOTO-DIENST, Berlin W 8, Jõgerstr. 11, Tel.: A 4 Zentrum 1806 - 1907als Photograph zu nennen: DEPHOT Umbo, Stefan Lorant Collection stamp, number in red crayon and annotated by Stefan Lorant in ballpoint pen on the verso.
 
This image is from Umbo's first photo reportage for his new agency DEPHOT (Deutscher Photo-Dienst) he founded together with Simon Guttman in 1928/29. The agency was the first in Germany to offer complete photo reportages and series of photos. This series became a model for following photo reportages at DEPHOT. The series shows Adrian Wettach (1880 - 1959) transforming himself into the legendary musical clown 'Grock', popular in Europe since 1913. As of 1924 he was a regular and successful performer in Berlin cabarets such as the Scala and Wintergarten. The series was published April 27, 1929 in the Kölnischen Illustrierten Zeitung with 11 images. The image offered here shows his wife and assistant in Grock's dressing room.
 
Provenace: Stefan Lorant Collection.
 
Lit.: Umbo, Photographien 1925 - 1933. Hannover 1979, ill. P. 116.
 
LL/33571