Bunnies

painting by Polke

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 17, 2026

Quick Summary

Sigmar Polke's painting Bunnies (1966) is a notable work from his Capitalist Realism period. This style mimicked and critiqued American Pop art by using imagery from advertising and photography. In Bunnies, Polke employed a technique that replicated the half-tone dot process found in newspapers. This resulted in a blurred quality, causing the depicted women, who referenced the hostesses of Playboy Clubs, to appear to disappear from view, suggesting a critique of capitalism and its societal impacts. Polke's work often layered images and incorporated decorative fabrics, contributing to his complex and layered artistic style.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Sigmar Polke
…reproduction gave paintings such as Bunnies (1966)—a reference to the byname of the hostesses at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Clubs for men—a blurred and dreary quality, ironically causing the women, dressed in sexy costumes, to physically and psychologically disappear from view. Polke began to layer images one atop another, and his…
Read More
…reproduction gave paintings such as Bunnies (1966)—a reference to the byname of the hostesses at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Clubs for men—a blurred and dreary quality, ironically causing the women, dressed in sexy costumes, to physically and psychologically disappear from view. Polke began to layer images one atop another, and his…
Read More