This comprehensive exhibition catalogue was published on the occasion of the exhibition Androgyn: Sehnsucht nach Vollkommenheit, presented at the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein from 17 November 1986 to 4 January 1987 and subsequently at the Kunstverein Hannover. The volume opens with an introduction discussing the historical evolution of the concept of androgyny before presenting a series of scholarly essays examining mythology, religion, psychology, anthropology, literature and visual culture. Individual contributions analyse androgynous imagery in classical antiquity, African cultures, Surrealism and twentieth-century art, while other chapters investigate philosophical and psychoanalytical interpretations of gender duality. The second part of the catalogue reproduces a large selection of paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs and installations shown in the exhibition, accompanied by detailed catalogue entries and explanatory texts. With hundreds of illustrations, artist biographies and extensive documentation, the publication provides an authoritative overview of one of the most enduring and multifaceted themes in the history of art. (AI-generated content description)