Please click onto picture or text for full AUDIO/VISUAL page!
Erich Lessing
Narrow
Street Vision
Narrow
streets are the charm of all major cities. They not only connect
times as they pass, but provide a taste of ageless dimension as
well. And, one such street is the Weihburggasse in the heart of
Vienna. It is not only home to unique Viennese traditions, but
something of outstanding historical importance as well. A
photo gallery. And it is owned by the Austrian photographer Erich
Lessing. And that which he shows in his gallery are his very own
works, and they are amongst the best of their kind!
Starting
work in 1947 with Associated Press, Erich soon developed his own
special style of street photography, and his shooting of life always
managed to convey not only times, but the feelings and
emotions of his subjects as well. Erich, in every sense of the word
was a people's person and it clearly stands out in his pictures.
People enjoyed being taken by him and his work could be seen
in such magazines as Life and Paris Match. People were his life. And
he shot both the great and the small!
And
among his most famous subjects were President Charles de Gaulle of
France and the German chancellor Konrad Adenauer. But his
photographic studies were perhaps his greatest achievements of
all. And, there is one in particular. His book 1956. His
pictures not only captured the hoped for normality of Hungarian life
that accompanied the lead up to the Hungarian uprising,
but also the terrible harshness of the ensuing Soviet
repression. 1956, a pictorial masterpiece of happiness, hope
and tragedy in one! But, Erich's real expertise lay in the way in
which he was able to take photos of children.
And,
these pictures are sensational. Each and every one has a pulling
black and white strength of its own, and some are breathtakingly
great in their capturing of childish ways and expression! And, right
now, there is an exhibition of these greats in his gallery. And, I
can strongly recommend it.
But,
the real fascination of Erich Lessing's gallery is himself.
He
was 89 years old when he opened it, and that was only last year! And
now, thanks to his determination and more than youthful efforts, we
can all look back into a brilliantly illustrated history that
happened just before ours. The centre of Vienna is full of surprises
- and Erich's gallery is probably one of the best. Why not pay it a
call it if you can! The narrow streets and their charm are waiting
for you!
Address
– 1010 Vienna. Weihburggasse 22. Tel. +43 1 347 18 66 (5 mins
walk from St. Stephen's Cathedral and very close to the Marriot)
Diarikom
is sponsored by Mag. Karl Brieber
Wirtschaftstreuhänder
– Steuerberater – Unternehmensberater
Vocabulary
accompanied
– begleitet
achievements
- Errungenschaften
convey
– vermitteln
enchanting
– magische
ensuing
– folgend
harshness
– sehr streng
outstanding
– außerordentlich
taken
– photographiert
uprising
– Aufstand
