Karsh became a member of the Ottawa Camera Club and exhibited works in the International Salon of Photography exhibitions held at the National Gallery of Canada from 1934 onwards. Karsh was also introduced into the Rideau Hall social circle, and his portraits of Lord Bessborough, Governor General from 1931 to 1935, and his wife were widely published. He achieved initial success by capturing the attention of Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King, who helped Karsh arrange photography sessions with visiting dignitaries. He was known professionally as "Karsh of Ottawa", which was also his signature. He remained there until 1972, when he moved to the Château Laurier. It was located on the second floor of a building at 130 Sparks Street, which was later named the Hardy Arcade. Karsh settled in Ottawa, initially working for photographer John Powis. Garo, the most prominent Armenian photographer in America at the time who had made a name for himself photographing Boston celebrities. From 1928 to 1931, Karsh apprenticed in Boston, Massachusetts for John H. He attended Sherbrooke High School for a year and his "formal education was over almost before it began." By the time he reached Canada, he "spoke little French, and less English" and "had no money and little schooling." Karsh worked for, and was taught photography by his uncle. He immediately moved to Sherbrooke, Quebec to live with his maternal uncle George Nakashian (Nakash), a portrait photographer. He arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on December 31, 1923, by ship from Beirut. The Economist noted in their obituary of Karsh that he "thought of himself as an Armenian" and, according to Vartan Gregorian, "Although he was proud to be Canadian, Karsh was equally proud to be Armenian." Karsh and his family escaped to a refugee camp in Aleppo, Syria in 1922 in a month-long journey with a Kurdish caravan. "My recollections of those days comprise a strange mixture of blood and beauty, of persecution and peace," he later wrote. He grew up during the Armenian genocide, during which some of his family were murdered. The city's Armenian population was largely Arabic-speaking. His illiterate father travelled extensively to trade furniture, rugs, spices, while his mother was "an educated woman, a rarity in those days, and was extremely well read, particularly in her beloved Bible." He had two brothers: Jamil and Malak the latter was also a photographer. His father was Catholic, while his mother was Protestant. Yousuf Karsh was born to Armenian parents Amsih Karsh (1872–1962), a merchant, and Bahia Nakash (1883–1958), on December 23, 1908, in Mardin, Diyarbekir Vilayet, Ottoman Empire. Over 20 photos by Karsh appeared on the cover of Life magazine, until he retired in 1993.Įarly life and arrival in Canada His iconic 1941 photograph of Winston Churchill was a breakthrough point in his 60-year career, through which he took numerous photos of known political leaders, men and women of arts and sciences. By the 1930s he established himself as a significant photographer in Ottawa, where he lived most of his adult life, though he traveled extensively for work. Īn Armenian genocide survivor, Karsh migrated to Canada as a refugee. He has been described as one of the greatest portrait photographers of the 20th century. Yousuf Karsh, CC RCA FRPS (Decem– July 13, 2002) was a Canadian photographer known for his portraits of notable individuals.
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