John Heartfield | |
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![]() John Heartfield in 1959 | |
Born | Helmut Herzfeld 19 June 1891 Berlin-Schmargendorf, Berlin, German Empire |
Died | 26 April 1968 | (aged 76)
Nationality | German, East German |
Education | Royal Bavarian Arts and Crafts School |
Known for | Photomontage |
Family | Wieland 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.