Ford of Canada: Gow Crapper
This image, known as Rear Window, features Ford of Canada factory worker Gow Crapper. Karsh spent two weeks at Ford of Canada’s Windsor plant in 1951, and produced some of his best industrial photographs.
News & Stories
Dr. Helen Taussig
Dr. Helen Taussig is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery, in Cambridge, Mass. This portrait is now being used to illustrate her biography on the cemetery’s website.
Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock was born on this day, August 13, in 1899.
Richard Nixon Resigns
On this day, August 9, in 1974, Richard Nixon resigned in the face of impending impeachment.
Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams
Yousuf Karsh photographed Princess Grace in 1956, wearing this dress by Dior. The image is included in the new exhibition “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams.”
Château Laurier – A Splendid Century
Yousuf Karsh lived and worked at the Château Laurier for 19 years and his photographs hang in their Reading Lounge and the Karsh Suite. A new book by author Kevin J. Holland about the hotel’s past titled “Château Laurier – A Splendid Century” is out now.
Apollo 11 Moon Landing
On this day, July 20, in 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the moon.
Lester Pearson: Most Canadian Photograph Ever?
As Canada celebrates 150 years, this photo was mentioned by a fan nominating it for “the most Canadian picture ever.”
Emil Schram and Sons
An inquiry came in from someone who had been searching for years for a copy of this photograph of Emil Schram with his three sons.
A Statue of Yousuf Karsh is Unveiled
“The presence of the statue of Yousuf Karsh in downtown Ottawa will always be one of the most beautiful symbols of Armenian-Canadian friendly relations.”
Chagall: Fantasies for the Stage
“Chagall: Fantasies for the Stage” opens July 31, 2017, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The exhibition highlights the principal role that music and dance played in Marc Chagall’s artistic practice.
Canada Day: Canada 150
July 1st is Canada Day, and this year Canada celebrates 150 years.
J. W. McLaren Caricature of Karsh
This linocut caricature of Karsh was made by one of his sitters, the Canadian artist J. W. McLaren.
Helen Keller
Helen Keller was born on this day, June 27, in 1880. “On first looking into her blind but seeing eyes, I said to myself of this woman who had no sight or hearing since the age of three, ‘Her light comes from within.’”
Heroes of World War II
“Heroes of World War II: Men and Women Who Put Their Lives on the Line” is a new publication from LIFE Books that features important figures from the period.
Bryan Adams
Library and Archives Canada, in collaboration with Canada 150 Federal Secretariat of Canadian Heritage, includes this portrait of Bryan Adams in their series of 365 historical fact capsules.
Companion of the Order of Canada
Yousuf Karsh receiving his Companion of the Order of Canada in 1990.
Clement Attlee Biography Wins Orwell Prize
John Bew’s biography of Prime Minister Clement Attlee, “Citizen Clem”, has been awarded Britain’s most prestigious award for political writing, the Orwell Prize.
Reagan and Gorbachev Tearing Down Walls
Thirty years ago on this day, June 12, 1987, US President Ronald Reagan challenged Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down” the Berlin Wall.
MomenTO Canada
“In celebration of Canada 150, MomenTO highlights people, places and events from 1867 to 2017 that are significant to the history of Canada and Toronto.”
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
On this day, June 2, in 1953, Princess Elizabeth was formally crowned Queen Elizabeth II. This informal family portrait was made in 1951, and shows the then-Princess with her husband Prince Philip and their young children.
LIFE Magazine: John F. Kennedy Cover, 1961
This LIFE magazine cover from August, 1961, featured a Karsh portrait of the 35th President of the United States. Karsh made this photograph of John F. Kennedy in 1960, when Kennedy was still a senator.
John F. Kennedy’s 100th Birthday
John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917. The 35th President of the United States, 1961-1963, was the youngest man elected to the office. The JFK Library is commemorating his centennial during the month of May.
Wing Officer Willa Walker
Our friends at the Canadian War Museum have this lovely photograph of Wing Officer Willa Walker in their collection, and it is currently on display as part of the traveling exhibition “World War Women /Grandes Guerres. Grandes Femmes.”
Ottawa Citizen: The Capital Builders
“In celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, the Ottawa Citizen is rolling out one fact each day for 150 days until July 1, highlighting the odd, the fascinating and the important bits of Ottawa history you might not know about.”
The Eisenhower Memorial Commission
The Estate is pleased to partner with the Eisenhower Memorial Commission in their ongoing work to memorialize the 34th US President on the National Mall.
Georgia O’Keeffe: Living Modern
“Georgia O’Keeffe: Living Modern” takes a new look at how the renowned modernist artist proclaimed her progressive, independent lifestyle through a self-crafted public persona.
Herman Leonard
Herman Leonard began his career as an apprentice to famed portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh. “In the Groove: Jazz Portraits by Herman Leonard” features Leonard’s iconic images of jazz legends.
Camera Press at 70: A Lifetime in Pictures
“Camera Press at 70: A Lifetime in Pictures” features seven decades of iconic images from the archives of the UK’s leading independent photographic agency.
Hemingway’s Brain
The Washington Post Style section ran a cover story about Dr. Andrew Farah’s book, Hemingway’s Brain, which suggests Hemingway suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
They Desire a Better Country: The Order of Canada in 50 Stories
“They Desire a Better Country: The Order of Canada in 50 Stories” includes portraits by Karsh, and, since he himself was a recipient of both the Companion of the Order of Canada and Officer of the Order of Canada, Karsh has his own section in the book.
CBC News: New exposure for master portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh
“It’s been 15 years since Yousuf Karsh died. At the time, digital was just starting to overtake film as the most popular photographic medium.”
I. M. Pei’s 100th Birthday
Architect I. M. Pei had his 100th birthday on April 26, 2017.
LIFE Magazine: John F. Kennedy Cover, 1963
From the archives at LIFE Magazine, the memorial edition for John F. Kennedy after his death in 1963 featuring a portrait by Karsh from 1960.
The 100 Most Influential Images of All Time
TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential Images of All Time” naturally includes Karsh’s “Roaring Lion” portrait of Winston Churchill.
70th Anniversary of the Day that Jackie Robinson Broke Major League Baseball’s Color Barrier
The Los Angeles Dodgers unveiled the first statue in Stadium history.
John Loengard: Celebrating the Negative
“Celebrating the Negative” is a study of the original film on which famous images have been captured by some of the most important photographers from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Joan Baez inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Joan Baez was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017’s award ceremony.
The Queen Elizabeth Karsh Issue Stamps and Stationery
Over in Postal History Corner, a blog from the Canadian Postal and Philatelist Society, you can read all about the process of producing a stamp in 1952.
LIFE Magazine: Ernest Hemingway Cover, 1961
From the archives at LIFE Magazine. This cover from 1961 features a less well-known color portrait of Ernest Hemingway.