Our house

In November 1945, the "Archiv für Kunst und Geschichte" (akg-images) was founded in Leipzig as a photo press agency by the journalist and art collector Wilfried Göpel. Over the decades, it was run as a family business with a clear focus on collections (etchings and engravings, documentary and historical photographs). Still family-run, the main office of akg-images is situated in the southwestern part of Berlin. In 1994 and 1995, our akg offices in London (www.akg-images.co.uk) and Paris (www.akg-images.fr) were opened.

Today, akg-images holds a total of over ten million images - more and more of which can be viewed online. The main emphasis of the images we offer lies on art and civilization. Throughout the past decades, akg-images additionally acquired archives and collections and trough the continuous partnership with numerous photographers managed to build one of the most important collections of contemporary auteur-photography. Erich Lessing, Tony Vaccaro and Paul Almasy are among those whose oeuvre is represented by akg-images through exhibitions and publications.

Our services

Today, akg-images is working together with many professional image users. Our clients mainly belong to the art and publishing world, work in television, print media, advertising and marketing and on exhibitions.
On request, our research team will compile a selection of images in accordance with your projects. Images can be ordered as slides (c.6 x 9cm), as large-format slide, as black and white print or as digital RGB-document (in high / low resolution). Our photos are continuously being scanned into our digital database and are accompanied by detailed explanatory captions (in English, French or German).
Already today, we can provide you with over 280 000 digital images in high resolution which can be downloaded, sent via ISDN, e-mail or CD-Rom.

With this internet appearance we offer you a research tool that enables you to directly access our photographic collection. By viewing our recent topics and collections, you can get a more detailed idea of the images we offer, and once you are a registered customer you can directly order the images you want online. For further information regarding terms, conditions and fees, please click here.

Our members of staff would be happy to assist you in your research. We can also compile a picture sselection according to your wishes. As akg images is directed at professional users we regret to say that we cannot supply images for private purposes.