Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C , Case MB2E, Shelf DR51

Werkstatt Edition Kroll

Print
1970 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Georg Nees (1926-2016) is considered one of the founders of computer art and graphics. He was also one of the first people to exhibit his computer graphics, at the studio gallery of the Technische Hochschule in Stuttgart in February 1965. Nees studied mathematics and physics at the universities of Erlangen-Nuremberg and Stuttgart. He subsequently worked for Siemens as a software engineer, and was instrumental in their purchasing a 'Zuse Graphomat', a drawing machine operated by computer-generated punched tape. The machine was capable of creating geometric patterns and, although the programming language that Nees used (ALGOL) was designed specifically for scientific computers, Nees used it to create aesthetic images such as this one.
In 1969 he received his doctorate on the subject of Generative Computer Graphics under Max Bense, the German philosopher and writer.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleWerkstatt Edition Kroll (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Screenprint after a computer-generated artwork programmed on a Siemens System 4004 and drawn on a Zuse-Graphomat flatbed drawing machine
Brief description
Silkscreen print by Georg Nees, published by Werkstatt Edition Kroll, 1970
Physical description
Red silkscreen print with black polygons in a circle motif
Dimensions
  • Height: 28cm
  • Length: 21.8cm
Production typeLimited edition
Gallery label
Chance and Control: Art in the Age of Computers (2018) GEORG NEES (1926–2016) Untitled Published by Werkstatt Edition Kroll, Germany, 1970 This screenprint was produced from a unique plotter drawing. The plotter was operated by feeding punched tape into a computer that used the instructions to direct a pen across a drawing surface. As the computer had no screen, Nees would not have been able to fully anticipate the appearance of the resulting drawing. Screenprint, after a computer-generated drawing Museum no. E.2776-2016(07/07/2018-18/11/2018)
Production
Published by Werkstatt-Edition Kroll
Summary
Georg Nees (1926-2016) is considered one of the founders of computer art and graphics. He was also one of the first people to exhibit his computer graphics, at the studio gallery of the Technische Hochschule in Stuttgart in February 1965. Nees studied mathematics and physics at the universities of Erlangen-Nuremberg and Stuttgart. He subsequently worked for Siemens as a software engineer, and was instrumental in their purchasing a 'Zuse Graphomat', a drawing machine operated by computer-generated punched tape. The machine was capable of creating geometric patterns and, although the programming language that Nees used (ALGOL) was designed specifically for scientific computers, Nees used it to create aesthetic images such as this one.
In 1969 he received his doctorate on the subject of Generative Computer Graphics under Max Bense, the German philosopher and writer.
Collection
Accession number
E.2776-2016

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdMarch 29, 2016
Record URL
Download as: JSON