Thieme-Becker
Encyclopedia
Thieme-Becker is the commonly used abbreviation for the German encyclopaedia of artist biographies in 37 volumes with the full title Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildenden Künstler von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart. It was founded by Ulrich Thieme and Felix Becker and later continued by Hans Vollmer. In the 1950s it was succeeded by the Vollmer, short for Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künstler des XX. Jahrhunderts under the editorship of Hans Vollmer.
The Thieme-Becker and Vollmer were published in altogether 43 volumes in the years 1907 to 1962 by E. A. Seemann in Leipzig
. The joint work contains ca. 250 000 biographies that were compiled with the help of 400 specialists world-wide including all contemporary leading art historians. Information about the background of the artist, training, professional development, the main works, exhibitions and references to literature citations are listed and, if possible, augmented by an art historical assessment. The special relevance and strength of the Thieme-Becker-Vollmer lies in entries for less known and almost unknown artists not listed anywhere else; it lies also in the inclusion of architects, designers and other artisans working in applied art. Appraisals by contemporary art historians are of historical interest.
For these reasons it is still today, 50 to 100 years after first publication, the most widely used biographical encyclopaedia for artists. It has been reissued in 2008 on DVD
The Thieme-Becker-Vollmer was the most comprehensive dictionary of artist biographies at its time. It is now succeeded but so far only partly superseded by the Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon published by de Gruyter and based on the entries in the Thieme-Becker-Vollmer. A print edition is scheduled to be completed in 2020; an online edition (AKL online) is continually updated and may be considered a never-ending (?) work-in-progress.
The Thieme-Becker and Vollmer were published in altogether 43 volumes in the years 1907 to 1962 by E. A. Seemann in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. The joint work contains ca. 250 000 biographies that were compiled with the help of 400 specialists world-wide including all contemporary leading art historians. Information about the background of the artist, training, professional development, the main works, exhibitions and references to literature citations are listed and, if possible, augmented by an art historical assessment. The special relevance and strength of the Thieme-Becker-Vollmer lies in entries for less known and almost unknown artists not listed anywhere else; it lies also in the inclusion of architects, designers and other artisans working in applied art. Appraisals by contemporary art historians are of historical interest.
For these reasons it is still today, 50 to 100 years after first publication, the most widely used biographical encyclopaedia for artists. It has been reissued in 2008 on DVD
The Thieme-Becker-Vollmer was the most comprehensive dictionary of artist biographies at its time. It is now succeeded but so far only partly superseded by the Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon published by de Gruyter and based on the entries in the Thieme-Becker-Vollmer. A print edition is scheduled to be completed in 2020; an online edition (AKL online) is continually updated and may be considered a never-ending (?) work-in-progress.