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Anselm Kiefer, a German painter and sculptor, was born on 8 March 1945 in Donaueschingen, Germany. In the year 1965, Anselm Kiefer spent his time in Paris, studying law and romance at the Albert Ludwigs University, Freiburg in Breisgau. Here, he was a student of Peter Dreher and later on, of Joseph Beuys (1970) at Düsseldorf Kunstakademie. In 1969, Kiefer held his first solo exhibition, "Besetzungen (Occupations)" at Galerie am Kaiserplatz, Karlsruhe. The exhibition displayed the photographs of controversial socio-political developments.

In 1971, Kiefer got married and settled in a small village of Hornbach in West Germany. He led a reclusive life there, in an erstwhile schoolhouse, which was also his home and studio. It was here that Kiefer fiddled with themes such as history, religion, and myth. He tried to capture the mythical and the historical figures of German civilization, especially the ones, which were celebrated during the Third Reich. Most of Kiefer's work requires an extensive understanding of literature and history.

Anselm Kiefer's works are considered unique and bizarre due to the unconventional use of materials such as straw, ash, clay, lead, and shellac. The scales of his works have always been extraordinarily large and are often compared to the works of an abstract expressionist, Jackson Pollock. Kiefer's paintings depicted historical subject matter, which came about with the rise of Neo-Expressionism. He was also inspired by the poems of Paul Celan. Celan's poems such as "Todesfuge" talked mostly about the German history and the horror of the Holocaust, which later on formed the core theme of Kiefer's paintings, especially in Anselm's painting, "Margarethe." He had developed a range of visual symbols, which glossed over the tragic aspects of German history and culture, especially the Nazi period. Such attempts of Kiefer made him a controversial figure in Germany.

The art works of Kiefer reflect the essence of New Symbolism. In the mid-eighties he traveled extensively and some of his paintings such as "Jerusalem," "Osiris," and "Isis," drew inspirations from his trips to the several countries he visited. By now, Kiefer had transitioned to more universal themes. Besides paintings, he created sculptures, watercolors, woodcuts, photographs, and books. "The Medieval Manuscript" and "The High Priestess/Zweistromland (1985-89)," are two of the most famous works of Kiefer. He also published "A Book by Anselm Kiefer" in 1988.

Kiefer's works are mostly appreciated outside of Germany, especially in the United States of America. Anselm is considered one of the most significant artists of his time. To acknowledge his contributions to the field of Art, he was awarded the Wolf Prize in 1990. In the year 1999, the Japan Art Association awarded him with the Praemium Imperiale for his lifetime achievements. Anselm Kiefer continues to storm the world. The Peace Prize of the German Book Trade for contribution to the world of art in 2008, conferred on him, vouches for the fact.