Rudolf KOPPITZ

Rudolph Koppitz was one of the primary artists of the pictorialist movement. Born in the Czech Republic, Koppitz began his career in professional photography in 1897, and later returned to school in Vienna to further his artistic practice. His earliest works show the direct influence of Gustav Klimt and the Art Nouveau movement. A virtuoso in the darkroom, Koppitz gained the attention of American photo secessionists Edward Steichen and Clarence Smith. In fact, his printing work was held in such high regard that he was included in the Encyclopedia Britannica of 1929 under the topic “photo processes.”

Source: Originally presented at the June 20, 2013, SBMA Collections Committee