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Yousuf Karsh
Yousuf Karsh
Albert Einstein (1948)
by Yousuf Karsh
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Yousuf Karsh: A Moment In Time includes interviews
with: Karsh, who reveals himself to be one of the great artists
and successful entrepreneurs of his time; his three brothers,
who recall Karsh's early days as an ambitious high-society
photographer; and his wife Estrellita, who unmasks the man
behind the legend. Rare footage of Karsh at work resurrects
the monumental ego of Leonard Bernstein in a photo session
that tests Karsh's patience and tact to the limit.
A classic rags-to-riches immigrant story, the now 91-year-old
Karsh was born in Turkish Armenia, growing up as a Christian
in predominantly Muslim Turkey. Karsh was just 14 when
the family fled the horror of genocide in Armenia for freedom
in Syria, with nothing but the belongings on their backs.
At the tender age of 16, Karsh's parents sent him to Sherbrooke,
Quebec, to live and work with his uncle, George Nakash, a
portrait photographer. Recognizing his nephew's talent, Nakash
sent 20-year-old Karsh to Boston in 1928 to study with John
H. Garo, one of the top portrait photographers in America.
His exposure to the powerful and famous in Boston would leave
an indelible impression on the young man and determine the
course of his life. Young, talented and hungry, Karsh
returned to Canada and set up a humble studio on Sparks Street
in Ottawa. Eventually, he caught the eye of Prime Minister
Mackenzie King, who took a liking to the relatively unknown
photographer and helped him snag visiting dignitaries for
portraits.
As the last of the great portrait photographers, Karsh of
Ottawa has become almost as famous as his legendary subjects.
In the latest edition of Who's Who (The International Who's
Who 2000), which listed the most notable people of the last
century, Karsh was the only Canadian of the 100 famous people
listed - 51 of whom Karsh had photographed.
Original Air Date - October 3, 2000
Yousuf Karsh died in a Boston hospital on July 13, 2002 after
complications following surgery.
He was 93.
Links
CBC.ca
News: Yousuf Karsh dies at 93
The
Weston Gallery Artist: Yousuf Karsh
Canada's
Digital Collections - Yousuf Karsh, Greatness Exposed
Museum
of Fine Arts, Boston
Yousuf
Karsh: Well Known Canadian
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