Studio Biederer

Studio Biederer (also known as Biederer Studio) was a French studio for erotic photography, managed by the Czech brothers Jacques Biederer (born 1887; died c. 1942) and Charles Biederer (born 1892; died c. 1942).

Very closely related to Studio Biederer was the quasi-distinct Ostra Studio, founded in an attempt to create a separate publishing house.^[1] In practice, however, Ostra Studio only ever functioned as a subdivision of Studio Biederer, with both studios referred to as separate yet intertwined divisions under a single management that effectively functioned as Studio Biederer.^[1]^[2] Although identifying works by Jacques Biederer is not difficult, distinguishing between those published by Studio Biederer and those specifically produced under the Ostra Studio label is more challenging.^[1]

The primary content of Biederer/Ostra was female nudes, female bondage and erotic spanking. Erotic spanking images were predominantly all female, although some were produced that featured men spanking women and women spanking men.^[2]

History

Their father was Maurice (Moritz) Biederer and their mother was Augustine "Gusti" Biederer. Their siblings were their brothers Emanuel and Hugo and their sister was Rosa.^[3]

In 1908 Jacques relocated to Paris where he founded a photography studio, with Charles following in 1913 to most probably assist him as a photographer.^[1] The studio was situated at 33 boulevard du Temple, Paris.^[4]

Ostra Studio was established in the late 1930s to publish Éditions Ostra, albums of photosets based around erotic themes.^[1] The Ostra Studio also did commercial photography for erotic books and Yva Richard’s mail-order catalogue La Lingerie Moderne.^[1] The brothers named the Ostra Studio in homage to their hometown – Moravska-Ostrava.^[5]^[6]

In the 1930s, Biederer was amongst the first to produce BDSM stag reels. The exact number is unknown, but at least three works are known to have been produced and survived: Dressage au Fouet (Raising with the Whip), Sous Les Caresses du Martinet (Under the Caresses of the Martinet), and La Vase Brise (The Broken Vase). Erotic spanking is a feature of all three.^[7]

During the German occupation of France, the brothers, who were of Jewish descent, were arrested. Charles was deported with transport 4 from Pithiviers transit camp to Auschwitz-Birkenau on 25 June 1942. Jacques was deported with transport 6 from Pithiviers to Birkenau on 17 July 1942.^[3]

Biederer was a forerunner of later photographers and artists with similar interests, such as Charles Guyette, John Willie, and Irving Klaw.^[2]

Gallery

A nude woman leaning against a car
A woman lying on a bed, exposing her buttocks
Two partially nude women, both wearing stockings. Left is wearing gloves and covering her breasts, while right is presenting her buttocks.
Three nude women, featuring bondage
A woman in a corset and chains
A kneeling woman in handcuffs and wearing a chastity belt, with a dominatrix standing above her
A dominatrix and a woman restrained to bondage furniture
A woman spanking another woman with a violin bow, a notably unconventional implement
A woman in a corset spanking the buttocks of another woman tied to a wooden frame
Two women being spanked by another