Die Brille (The Spectacles) is one of two erotic portfolios Hanf created in the early 1920s. This series of six lithographs is a fairly typical production of the time, featuring landscapes of stylised genitals, each accompanying a short poem, presumably also by him – Die Verzauberung (The Enchantment), Im Garten (In the Garden), Blüten (Blossoms), Pilze (Mushrooms), Früchte (Fruit), and Die Entzauberung (The Disenchantment).

Hanf used the pseudonym ‘Colchis’ for Die Brille, and given that he was short-sighted himself there is almost certainly an element of self-reflection in these verses. As far as we know, this portfolio and Der Sündenfall date from the period just before he found his wife to be.

We are very grateful to Hans-Jürgen Döpp for these images; Hans-Jürgen, the compiler of many books on erotic art, curates the Venusberg online gallery and bookshop which you can find here.