Károly Koller, originally Karl (28 January 1838,

Hermannstadt Sibiu ( , , , Hungarian: ''Nagyszeben'', , Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'' or ''Hermestatt'') is a city in central Romania, situated in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the ...

– 26 November 1889,

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

) was an

Austro-Hungarian Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...

photographer and painter.

Biography

His father was originally from Tyrolia, and his mother was from an upper-class family in

Kronstadt Kronstadt (, ) is a Russian administrative divisions of Saint Petersburg, port city in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal cities of Russia, federal city of Saint Petersburg, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg, near the head ...

. He attended the German grammar school in his hometown and studied with the drawing teacher, , (Sample
books.google.de
. with whom he was associated for many years; operating a joint studio.Konrad Klein: "Foto-Ethnologen. Theodor Glatz und die frühe ethnografische Fotografie in Siebenbürgen". In: ''Fotogeschichte'', Vol. 103, 2007, pp.23–45 From 1856 to 1859, he was enrolled at the and the

Academy of Fine Arts The following is a list of notable art schools. Accredited non-profit art and design colleges * Adelaide Central School of Art * Alberta College of Art and Design * Art Academy of Cincinnati * Art Center College of Design * The Art Institute ...

in Vienna. From 1859 to 1871, he worked as a drawing teacher in Bistritz, where he first developed his interest in photography. He published two albums in 1862, together with Glatz, depicting notable

Transylvanian Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

personalities and

Trachten ''Tracht'' () refers to traditional garments in German-speaking countries and regions. Although the word is most often associated with Bavarian, Austrian, South Tyrolean and Trentino garments, including lederhosen and dirndls, many other German ...

(clothing). From 1866, he was a member of the Viennese . After Glatz died, in 1871, he closed the drawing school, but continued to operate the photography studio, opening branches in Klausenburg and Neumarkt. In 1873, he transferred the company to Glatz's niece, Camilla Asbóth (1838–1908), thereby making her the first independent female photographer in Transylvania. At the

1873 Vienna World's Fair The 1873 Vienna World's Fair () was the large world exposition that was held from 1 May to 31 October 1873 in the Austria-Hungarian capital Vienna. Its motto was "Culture and Education" (). History As well as being a chance to showcase Austro- ...

, he received awards for his portraits and chromophotography techniques. In 1874, he took photographs at the Royal Hungarian residence, Schloss Gödöllő, and was named Court Photographer. The following year, he opened a studio under his Hungarian name, in Budapest, where he employed over thirty people. The well-known artist,

József Borsos Jozsef Borsos (21 December 1821, in Veszprém – 19 August 1883, in Budapest) was a Hungarian people, Hungarian portrait painter and photographer; best known for his Genre art, genre paintings in the Biedermeier style. Life and work His father ...

, also worked there for a time. He was able to attract a clientele that included many of the local Austro-Hungarian nobility, as well as members of the Imperial Family. A planned move to Klagenfurt was never accomplished. After his sudden death, while dining at a café, his longtime employees, Román Forché and István Gálfy, took over the firm; running it until 1908.

Selected photographs from the Koller studios

Ferenc József 1888-14.JPG, Emperor

Franz Joseph I Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I ( ; ; 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the ruler of the Grand title of the emperor of Austria, other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 1848 until his death ...

Mária Valéria 1888.JPG, Archduchess
Marie Valerie Rudolf Crown Prince of Austria LOC.jpg,

Crown Prince Rudolf Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria (Rudolf Franz Karl Josef; 21 August 1858 – 30 January 1889) was the only son and third child of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria. He was heir apparent to the imperial throne of the Austro ...

Jászai Mari Koller.jpg, Actress

Mari Jászai Mari Jászai (born Mária Krippel; 24 February 1850, Ászár – 5 October 1926, Budapest) was a Hungarian actress. Life Mari Jászai 24 February 1850 in Ászár, Komárom county, as a daughter of a carpenter. She worked from age 10 as a maid ...

File:Andrássy Manó 1891-18.JPG, Artist

Manó Andrássy Count Manó Andrássy de Csíkszentkirály et Krasznahorka (3 March 1821 – 23 April 1891) was a Hungarian people, Hungarian painter, caricaturist, collector, traveler, and politician. He was a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He se ...

Liszt Franz copy.jpg,

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic music, Romantic period. With a diverse List of compositions by Franz Liszt, body of work spanning more than six ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koller, Karoly 1838 births 1889 deaths Hungarian artists Photographers from Austria-Hungary Artists from Austria-Hungary Academy of Fine Arts Vienna alumni Transylvanian Saxon people People from Sibiu