Karsh-Masson Gallery, Ottawa, Canada, 2009

Yousuf Karsh was born in Mardin, Armenia-in-Turkey, in 1908 and came to Canada in 1924. After brief schooling in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Karsh studied photography for three years under John Garo of Boston, an eminent portrait photographer of the day. In 1932, Karsh opened his studio in Ottawa at the Château Laurier Hotel. As his work became better known, members of government, visiting statesmen and other dignitaries came to him to be photographed. Don’t miss this opportunity to view first-hand some of Karsh’s most famous works including the portrait of Winston Churchill, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Georgia O’Keefe and Stephen Leacock.