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Distro - Custodians of Desire 

Herbert List 

Custodians of a Desire: Herbert List’s Couples at the Beach

Herbert List’s archivist on the German artist’s photographs of love, desire, and friendship made in a restrictive political climate.

Written by Peer-Olaf Richter

During the 1930s, Herbert List spent time on the Italian, German and Greek beaches, and by the serene Swiss Lake Lucerne. Produced during a politically turbulent moment in European history, the work shows an escapist and idealist state of mind, where the power of youth and romance perseveres. But beneath the playful surface of List’s compositions lies deeper explorations... 

Herbert List 1936

ITALY. Light and Shadow. Liguria. 1936.

J-IT-LIC-001 

Herbert List 1936

SWITZERLAND. Lake Lucerne (Lac des Quatre-Cantons). 1936. 

Herbert List 1955

ITALY. Lazio. Ostia beach. 1955.

M-IT-OST-001 

Herbert List 1934

GERMANY. Mecklenburg. Ruegen Island. Selin. 1934. German painter... 

Herbert List 1937

GREECE. Attica. Near Sounion. 1937.

S-GR-SUN-004 

Herbert List 1934

GERMANY. Northsea. 1934. Wolf and Margit on the beach.

Herbert List 1933

GERMANY. At the Baltic Sea. 1933. "Wrestling boys II".

Herbert List 1934

GERMANY. At the Baltic Sea. 1934. "Extension into the Unreal".... 

Herbert List 1933

GERMANY. At the Baltic Sea. 1933. "Le Couple".

Herbert List 1933

GERMANY. At the Baltic Sea. Beach-roamer. 1933. 

Herbert List 1930

GERMANY. At the Baltic Sea. 1930. 

Herbert List 1937

GREECE. Cyclades. Island of Naxos. 1937. "Youths".

Herbert List 1952

ITALY. Tuscany. Beach at Forte dei Marmi, near Lucca. 1952. 

Herbert List 1932

ITALY. Capri. 1932. Marquesa Dusmet with her friend. 

Herbert List 1952

ITALY. Ischia. 1952. Artist Couple on Ischia. 

Herbert List 1935

ITALY. Flirt at the Piccola Marina. Capri. 1935. 

Herbert List 1950

GERMANY. Munich. St Heinrich. 1950. Cooling off.
J-GE-MUC-024... 

Herbert List 1937

GREECE. Cyclades. Santorini. 1937. Plaster masks.

S-GR-SAN-0004... 

Herbert List 1936

ITALY. Liguria. 1936. "Good friends".

J-IT-LIG-001 

Herbert List 1937

SWITZERLAND. Lake Lucerne. 1937. Friends fishing.

J-CH-VIE-004... 

Herbert List 1936

ITALY. Capri. "Capri Flirt I". 1935.

J-IT-CAP-004 
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