The German photographer, August Sander (1876-1964), was best known for creating what the Museum of Modern Art, New York has called, “the most ambitious and influential portrait of the people of the 20th century.”  His sweeping photographic project, People of the 20th Century (Menschen des 20. Jahrhunderts), is comprised of over 600 photographs divided into seven volumes and nearly 50 portfolios intending to be a comprehensive visual record of the German people. He devoted 40 years of his life to it. August Sander German, 1876-1964 The Secretary, West German Radio, Cologne, 1931 Gelatin silver print, 10 5/16 x 6 1/2 in. Museum purchase with the Curriculum Support Fund, 1985.18.8 © Die Photographische Sammlung / SK Stiftung Kultur - August Sander Archiv Köln / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York