German-born artist, sculptor, and photographer, Hans Bellmer is best known for his unsettling and provocative Dolls series, which challenged conventions of beauty, sexuality, and power. Bellmer initially worked in advertising and graphic design before dedicating himself to art as a form of resistance against the rise of Nazi ideology, particularly its oppressive notions of physical perfection. His work resonated with the Surrealists, who welcomed him into their circle after he fled to Paris in 1938.Bellmer’s art, deeply rooted in psychoanalysis and the grotesque, remains influential for its bold critique of societal norms and its exploration of the darker dimensions of human desire. His work continues to provoke and inspire discussions on identity, objectification, and the human body. Bellmer’s work has sold for six figures on the secondary market and belongs in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Tate, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Centre Pompidou.