11 June – 11 July 2026
25 September – 31 December 2026
Grand Opening: 25 September 2026
This summer, the Stahlberg Collection and Jaeger Art are delighted to present A Century of Style, a major exhibition dedicated to the work of George Hoyningen-Huene (1900–1968) at the historic Münzmeisterhaus in Coburg.
Bringing together a carefully curated selection of photographs, the exhibition marks the first solo presentation of Hoyningen-Huene’s work in Southern Germany and has been conceived in close collaboration with the George Hoyningen-Huene Estate in Stockholm.
The exhibition coincides with an extraordinary anniversary. In 2026, one hundred years have passed since Hoyningen-Huene’s first photographs appeared in Vogue, launching a career that would profoundly shape the history of fashion, portrait, and art photography.
Born into an aristocratic family in St. Petersburg, Hoyningen-Huene’s life mirrored the cultural and political transformations of the twentieth century. Following the Russian Revolution, his family fled to London before settling in Paris, where he became part of the city’s vibrant artistic avant-garde. Beginning his career as an illustrator and later collaborating closely with Man Ray, he quickly established himself as one of the most influential photographers of his generation.
As chief photographer of French Vogue, Hoyningen-Huene developed a visual language distinguished by elegance, precision, and a timeless sense of beauty. His photographs seamlessly united classical ideals with modern sophistication, transforming fashion photography into an art form and influencing generations of photographers, artists, and filmmakers. His circle included some of the most important creative figures of the era, among them Salvador Dalí, Coco Chanel, Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Horst P. Horst, and Lee Miller.
From Paris and New York to Hollywood, Hoyningen-Huene created some of the most iconic images of the twentieth century. Admired by contemporaries such as Richard Avedon and revered by subsequent generations, he remains one of the undisputed masters of photography.
Among the highlights of A Century of Style are several exceptionally rare works, including a portrait of film director Frank Capra, photographed by Hoyningen-Huene on a Hollywood film set in Los Angeles in 1934. Taken shortly before It Happened One Night won five Academy Awards, including Best Director, the photograph captures one of the defining figures of cinematic history at the height of his career and will be presented for the first time as an edition.
The exhibition also features the iconic Lee Miller in Leisure Wear (1932), one of Hoyningen-Huene’s most celebrated portraits. Lee Miller, who began her career as a model before becoming a pioneering photographer and war correspondent, was both muse and collaborator. The photograph stands as a testament to the creative exchange between two of the most remarkable personalities of twentieth-century photography.
Presented in two chapters, A Century of Style offers visitors an opportunity to discover the extraordinary variety of Hoyningen-Huene’s oeuvre. The first presentation focuses on the artist’s life, career, and artistic development, while the second chapter, opening with a Grand Opening on 25 September 2026, expands the exhibition with additional works and explores the remarkable personalities who shaped and inspired his world.
One hundred years after his first photographs appeared in Vogue, A Century of Style celebrates an artist whose influence extends far beyond the world of fashion—an artist whose vision continues to define our understanding of elegance, beauty, and modernity.
