Life with the Nuba

Leni Riefenstahl's remarkable Africa oeuvre

"If Leni Riefenstahl had done nothing but visit Africa and bring back her photographs, her place in history would be secure." -Kevin Brownlow, from the introduction

When she was in her early sixties, Leni Riefenstahl began traveling frequently to the African continent, where she has worked on various film and photography projects over the last half century. Her favorite destination was in Sudan, where she lived with and photographed the Nuba tribespeople, learning their language and becoming their friend. The Nuba were a loving and peaceful people who welcomed Riefenstahl as one of their own. Her images of the Nuba, as well as of the Dinka, Shilluk, Masai, and other tribes, are gathered in this monumental book. Riefenstahl remembers her experiences in Africa as the happiest moments in her life. Her beautiful, skilled photographs represent a landmark in the extraordinary career of the 20th century’s most unforgettable artistic pioneer.

  • Interview by Kevin Brownlow
  • Extensive bibliography and biography section
The editor:
Angelika Taschen studied art history and German literature in Heidelberg, gaining her doctorate in 1986. Working for TASCHEN from 1987 to 2010, she has published numerous titles on art, architecture, photography, design, travel, and lifestyle.
Leni Riefenstahl. Africa (Jumbo, TASCHEN 25 Edition)

Leni Riefenstahl. Africa

Angelika Taschen
Hardcover, 9.3 x 13.5 in., 400 pages, $ 39.99
Multilingual Edition: English, French, German
Availability: In Stock
  • Reviews
"Riefenstahl’s photographs preserve a mythic vision of this Eden before the fall, a romantic lost world, captured in images as powerfully seductive as the artist herself."
— V Magazine, Los Angeles, United States