Anselm Kiefer

Anselm Kiefer’s The Women offers a richly illustrated and revealing reappraisal of the artist’s practice, shifting attention from his well-known engagement with history and myth to the often-overlooked presence of the feminine. Through paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, the book shows how women—both as figures and as mythological and intellectual forces—have quietly shaped Kiefer’s artistic imagination, from Lilith and Margarethe to Brunhilde and the Women of Antiquity series.

Drawing on close access to the studio and essays by various contributors, the volume traces Kiefer’s exploration of femininity across media including painting, sculpture, installation, and photography. More than a survey, the book reframes his oeuvre, revealing women as central to his thinking about memory, loss, heroism, and history, and offering readers a compelling new perspective on one of contemporary art’s most influential figures.