John Heartfield

John Heartfield
John Heartfield in 1959
Born
Helmut Herzfeld

(1891-06-19)19 June 1891
Died26 April 1968(1968-04-26) (aged 76)
NationalityGerman, East German
EducationRoyal Bavarian Arts and Crafts School
Known forPhotomontage
FamilyWieland Herzfelde

John Heartfield (born Helmut Herzfeld; 19 June 1891 – 26 April 1968) was a 20th-century German visual artist who pioneered the use of art as a political weapon. Some of his most famous photomontages were anti-Nazi and anti-fascist statements. Heartfield also created book jackets for book authors, such as Upton Sinclair, as well as stage sets for contemporary playwrights, such as Bertolt Brecht and Erwin Piscator.