Steidl

Steidl is an independent German publishing house based in Göttingen and founded in 1968 by Gerhard Steidl. It began as a small publishing venture and developed into one of the most distinctive names in contemporary illustrated-book publishing. Although the company has issued political nonfiction, literature, art books, and paperback editions, its international reputation rests primarily on photography books and on a production model that treats publishing, design, printing, and binding as closely connected creative activities. The company’s first book was Befragung der Documenta, published in 1972. From 1974, Steidl broadened its list with political nonfiction. During the early 1980s it moved further into literature and selectively expanded its art and photography publishing. The first paperback editions appeared in 1989. In 1996, Gerhard Steidl made photography the central focus of an internationally oriented program, helping establish the house as a preferred partner for photographers, artists, writers, designers, and estates seeking highly controlled book production. Steidl’s publishing list has included work by Robert Frank, Joel Sternfeld, Richard Serra, Bruce Davidson, Arnold Odermatt, Edward Ruscha, Susan Meiselas, Karl Lagerfeld, Saul Leiter, Lou Reed, Martin Schoeller, and Juergen Teller, among many others. The house also held worldwide rights to the work of Nobel Prize-winning German author Günter Grass from 1993 until Grass’s death. Its work has extended beyond conventional books: Steidl has produced catalogues, flyers, invitations, and other printed materials for Chanel, including materials connected with haute couture presentations. The company’s collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld began in the early 1990s and continued until Lagerfeld’s death in 2019. A defining feature of Steidl is the concentration of production at its Göttingen premises. Gerhard Steidl has continued to lead the company and to supervise the production of its books. The publishing process is organized around close attention to format, sequence, paper, typography, color, and binding, often in consultation with the photographer or artist. Steidl has emphasized the tactile and optical differences between a physical book and an illuminated screen, making paper and the handling of printed objects central to its identity. The company produces an unusually large number of titles for an art-focused publisher, with the cited reference material describing output of approximately 300 titles per year. Alongside special editions, Steidl favors what Gerhard Steidl has called “democratic books” or “prêt-à-porter books”: carefully made editions intended to remain available and, when demand supports it, to be reprinted. This approach combines premium production standards with an ambition to make important visual work broadly accessible. Steidl’s methods and philosophy were examined in the 2009–2010 Musée de l’Élysée exhibition The Fine Art and Craft of the Steidl Book, also known as Lasting Impressions. The company was subsequently the subject of the 2010 documentary How to Make a Book with Steidl. Gerhard Steidl received the Gutenberg Prize of the International Gutenberg Society and the City of Mainz in 2020, followed by the Royal Photographic Society’s Award for Photographic Publishing in 2021. Steidl remains active as an independent, internationally oriented publisher centered on photography, art, literature, and the craft of the book.

Steidl was established in 1968 in Göttingen by Gerhard Steidl. The company’s early publishing activity was broader than the photography-centered identity for which it later became known. Its first book, Befragung der Documenta, appeared in 1972. Beginning in 1974, Steidl added political nonfiction to its program, and during the early 1980s it expanded into literature as well as selected art and photography titles. The company issued its first paperback editions in 1989. A decisive change came in 1996, when Gerhard Steidl committed the company to an internationally oriented photography program. This specialization led to collaborations with major photographers and artists, including Robert Frank, Joel Sternfeld, Richard Serra, Bruce Davidson, Arnold Odermatt, Edward Ruscha, Susan Meiselas, Karl Lagerfeld, Saul Leiter, Lou Reed, Martin Schoeller, and Juergen Teller. Steidl also published across adjacent fields of literature and art, and held worldwide rights to the work of Günter Grass from 1993 until the author’s death. The company’s identity is inseparable from its production process. Its printing, binding, and related work are carried out at its four-storey premises on Düstere Strasse in Göttingen. Gerhard Steidl has remained closely involved in the making of each book, working with individual artists and photographers on layout, paper, sequencing, and binding. This production philosophy reflects the view that a book is a physical object whose paper, color, weight, and construction contribute to the meaning of the work. Steidl has particularly emphasized the difference between reflected light on paper and the backlighting of a screen. The publishing house has also undertaken commercial and institutional print projects. Its work for Chanel has included advertising materials, catalogues, flyers, and invitations associated with haute couture shows. The relationship between Steidl and Karl Lagerfeld began in the early 1990s and continued until Lagerfeld’s death in 2019. Lagerfeld publicly praised Steidl’s printing abilities, reinforcing the house’s reputation beyond conventional publishing. Steidl has maintained a relatively high title output for an art publisher, with reference material describing roughly 300 books per year. It produces limited and special editions but also promotes accessible, reprintable editions that Gerhard Steidl has described as “democratic books” or “prêt-à-porter books.” The strategy combines bibliophile production standards with the possibility of continued availability when demand is sufficient. The company’s working methods received institutional attention in The Fine Art and Craft of the Steidl Book, an exhibition held at the Musée de l’Élysée in Lausanne from 2009 to 2010. Steidl was also the subject of the 2010 documentary How to Make a Book with Steidl. In 2014–2016, the publisher became involved in a legal dispute with photographer Lawrence Schwartzwald over 49 signed prints submitted for consideration in a proposed book. After the project was abandoned and the prints were not returned, a German court ruled for Schwartzwald in 2016 and ordered Steidl to pay €65,000. Steidl later published Schwartzwald’s The Art of Reading in 2018. Gerhard Steidl received the Gutenberg Prize of the International Gutenberg Society and the City of Mainz in 2020 and the Royal Photographic Society’s Award for Photographic Publishing in 2021. Steidl remains an active independent publisher whose principal strengths are photography, art, literature, and the integrated craft of book production.

• 2021

  Royal Photographic Society award

  [1]Steidlen.wikipedia.org

  Gerhard Steidl receives the Royal Photographic Society’s Award for Photographic Publishing.

• 2020

  Gutenberg Prize awarded to Gerhard Steidl

  [1]Steidlen.wikipedia.org

  Gerhard Steidl receives the Gutenberg Prize from the International Gutenberg Society and the City of Mainz.

• 2010

  Steidl documentary released

  [1]Steidlen.wikipedia.org

  How to Make a Book with Steidl documents the publisher’s production approach.

• 1996

  International photography program begins

  [1]Steidlen.wikipedia.org

  Gerhard Steidl establishes a dedicated internationally oriented photography program.

• 1993

  Günter Grass rights acquired

  [1]Steidlen.wikipedia.org

  Steidl begins holding worldwide rights to the work of Günter Grass.

• 1989

  First paperback editions

  [1]Steidlen.wikipedia.org

  Steidl begins publishing paperback editions.

• 1974

  Political nonfiction added

  [1]Steidlen.wikipedia.org

  The program expands to include political nonfiction.

• 1972

  First book published

  [1]Steidlen.wikipedia.org

  Steidl publishes Befragung der Documenta, identified as the company’s first book.

• 1968

  Steidl is founded

  [1]Steidlen.wikipedia.org

  Gerhard Steidl establishes the publishing house in Göttingen, Germany.

An independent, internationally oriented publisher positioned at the intersection of art publishing, photography, literature, and high-quality print production. Steidl differentiates itself through close editorial and production collaboration, in-house control over printing and binding, strong attention to materials and tactility, and a combination of collectible special editions with relatively accessible reprintable books.

• Photobooks · 1996

  Photography books

  Steidl’s central publishing category consists of photography books made in close collaboration with photographers, artists, estates, and designers. Projects are developed around the relationship between image sequence, page size, paper, color, typography, and binding. The list has included both established historical photographers and contemporary practitioners, helping make Steidl a prominent international name in photobook publishing.

• Art publishing

  Art and artist books

  Steidl publishes books devoted to artists, artworks, exhibitions, and visual culture. These editions often treat the book as part of the artistic work rather than merely as a reproduction container. The company’s production model allows choices of format, paper, sequencing, and binding to be adapted to the character of each project.

• Books · 1974

  Literature and nonfiction

  The publishing program includes literature and political nonfiction in addition to visual books. This part of the list reflects Steidl’s origins as a general independent publisher and includes the company’s historical relationship with the work of Günter Grass.

• Limited and special editions

  Special editions

  Steidl produces special editions for selected authors, artists, and photographers. These editions place particular emphasis on materials, binding, and presentation. Alongside them, the company has promoted accessible editions that can be reprinted when demand is sufficient.

• Commercial publishing services

  Commercial and fashion print materials

  Beyond books, Steidl produces printed communications such as catalogues, flyers, invitations, and advertising materials. Chanel is identified as a client, with work including materials connected to haute couture shows. These projects extend Steidl’s print-production expertise into luxury fashion and cultural communications.

• 2016

  Dispute over missing photographic prints

  Photographer Lawrence Schwartzwald submitted 49 signed prints to Steidl in 2014 for consideration in a proposed book about New Yorkers reading. After Steidl decided not to proceed and did not return the works, Schwartzwald brought a case in Germany. A court ruled in his favor in 2016 and ordered Steidl to pay €65,000 for the missing prints. Steidl subsequently published Schwartzwald’s The Art of Reading in 2018.

  Source

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• 1996

  Make photography the core international focusStrategy

  Background

  Steidl had already published political nonfiction, literature, art, and some photography, but Gerhard Steidl wanted to develop a dedicated international photography program.

  Action taken

  The company established photography as its principal area of international specialization and expanded collaborations with photographers and artists.

  Aftermath

  This decision became the foundation of Steidl’s international reputation as a leading photobook publisher.

  Source

• 1989

  Introduce paperback editionsProduct launch

  Background

  The publishing house had developed from political and literary publishing toward a broader book program.

  Action taken

  Steidl began issuing paperback editions.

  Aftermath

  The move broadened the formats available within the publishing program, although no specific sales impact is documented in the supplied sources.

  Source

1. 1Steidlen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official Steidl websitesteidl.de