Peter Cornelius
German, 1913 - 1970
Peter Cornelius (1913–1970) was a pioneering German photographer and photojournalist known for elevating color photography in post-war Europe. Based in Kiel, he began his career capturing documentary-style images, landscapes, and sailing scenes before turning his focus to color photography in the 1950s.
His breakthrough came with a celebrated exhibition in Cologne and the release of his photobook Paris in Colour in 1961, which vividly documented everyday life in the French capital. With a painterly approach to light and color, Cornelius brought a sense of poetry to urban and natural scenes alike. His work influenced generations of photographers and continues to be collected and exhibited internationally.
His breakthrough came with a celebrated exhibition in Cologne and the release of his photobook Paris in Colour in 1961, which vividly documented everyday life in the French capital. With a painterly approach to light and color, Cornelius brought a sense of poetry to urban and natural scenes alike. His work influenced generations of photographers and continues to be collected and exhibited internationally.
