Karsh


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Mies van der Rohe, 1962, © Yousuf Karsh

This portrait of Mies van der Rohe was made during the first photo shoot that the newly-married Estrellita Karsh attended, in 1962. She talks about how she watched Mr. Karsh take the "imposing buddha in a wheelchair" to a corner in the architect's Bauhaus home for a quiet conversation, seeing a relationship develop, as if "a doctor with a patient." Mrs Karsh tells this story in an article for French magazine 'Beaux-Arts,' to be published in conjunction with a major exhibition at the Mona Bismarck American Center for art and culture, in October.

"The exhibition at the Mona Bismarck American Center for art & culture will reunite approximately seventy of the photographer's most striking portraits of French and American dignitaries and luminaries, juxtaposing Frank Lloyd Wright with Le Corbusier, for example, and Charles de Gaulle with Dwight Eisenhower. Original photographs will be presented alongside archival material from the dozens of Life and Paris-Match covers that Karsh captured, marking the transformation of his intimate portraits into public icons."

Then in November, we'll be at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC!

"In celebration of a major gift to its collection of more than 100 portraits created by renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002), the National Portrait Gallery will present the exhibition Yousuf Karsh: American Portraits. Opening November 1, 2013, this exhibition will feature iconic photographs of Americans who have distinguished themselves in fields as diverse as business, medicine, entertainment, politics, and the arts. Among the portraits to be included will be those of artist Georgia O'Keeffe, physician and virologist Jonas Salk, singer Marian Anderson, actress Grace Kelly, businesswoman Elizabeth Arden, architect I.M. Pei, and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Yousuf Karsh: American Portraits will be the museum's first exhibition devoted entirely to the work of this internationally recognized portrait photographer."

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Buckminster Fuller, 1980 © Yousuf Karsh

Life.com published a piece about Buckminster Fuller today and I fancied showing this gorgeous Karsh portrait of the fascinating architect, inventor and futurist. In the 'Life' article it quotes Bucky saying "I did not set out to design a geodesic dome, I set out to discover the principles operative in Universe. For all I knew, this could have led to a pair of flying slippers."

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Thatcher, 1974 © Yousuf Karsh

Here she is, looking as if butter wouldn't melt. Bye, Maggie. Mandela outlived you, which is very satisfying. Rest in all the peace you deserve...

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The main nod I give to Thanksgiving each year is for Mrs Karsh. I could not be more thankful for this constant in my life. For the trust she places in me, the incredible photographs I represent, and for her friendship. I must not forget my close mate, Jerry Fielder, the curator and director for the Estate - these titles say nothing about what Jerry does and who he is.

In any event, this is the image that I am currently licensing - the right honorable Brian Mulroney, former PM of Canada. 'Parks Canada' will be using it in an interactive exhibit. Their Agent, Contenu Internet et nouveaux médias, made of point to tell me how much he enjoys this blog! Je suis honoré.

Brian Mulroney, 1985 © Yousuf Karsh

Karsh_Rank.jpgBong! Who knows why I woke up today with the Rank gong in my head but here we are. Lord J. Arthur Rank aka 1st Baron Rank was a British industrialist and film producer, and founder of the Rank Organization, and he established Pinewood Studios where my once-fabulous photo agency was based for a couple of years. This photograph may well have been taken there.











J. Arthur Rank, 1949 © Yousuf Karsh


Karsh_Gurley_Brown_Helen_02_med.jpgHow's about this classic colour photograph of author and publisher Helen Gurley Brown taken in 1992 at the very end of Karsh's commercial career. As one of our clients said, "very 'Dallas'!"












Helen Gurley Brown © Yousuf Karsh

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Apollo 11 crew, 1969 © Yousuf Karsh

It's the anniversary of these chaps landing on the moon - Michael Collins, Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, by the master, Yousuf Karsh.

Maybe one day we'll play "Who did Karsh NOT photograph?"

Saw Buzz once in a hotel in St. Thomas. He was wearing a black shirt patterned with little planets.

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A new exhibition opens today at the Morgan Library in midtown Manhattan. 'Churchill: The Power Of Words' includes "...Victorian childhood letters to his parents, to Cold War correspondence with President Eisenhower, and featuring some of his most famous wartime oratory." We are proud that the Morgan and their associates at the Churchill Archives in Britain selected Karsh's most famous, most reproduced photograph of the great man, to represent this show. In conjunction with the exhibition, the Morgan and the Churchill Archives Centre have also launched the Discover Churchill website.

Karsh_Bradbury_Ray.jpgRay Bradbury died today at the ripe old age of 91. Here he is photographed by Yousuf Karsh in 1990 when he was still a whippersnapper.













Ray Bradbury, 1990 © Yousuf Karsh

Karsh_Prince_Philip_1966.jpgQueen Elizabeth has been getting all the attention lately, but news just came in that Prince Philip has been taken to hospital during the Jubilee celebrations. As one witty Twitterer stated - he must really not want to see Cliff Richard perform tonight.












Prince Philip, 1966 © Yousuf Karsh

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