Einstein, Albert. (1879–1955)[Spurr, Ervin Willard.]
Original Portrait Photograph
Original E. Willard Spurr portraits of the great scientist, ca. 1931. Albert is shown in a seated portrait looking to the left, blind-stamped by the photographer at the foot. Slight smudge at the foot of the portrait; some very light edge wear; overall fine. 11 x 14 inches (27.8 x 35.3 cm).Ervin Willard Spurr was born in 1869 in New York and grew up in Iowa, where he established his reputation as a photographer, before moving his studio to Pasadena. He was noted for his technical accomplishments as a portrait photographer, and photographed subjects including stage and film actors of the day, as well as Native American actors (a collection of these photographs is held at the Library of Congress.) In 1931, Spurr photographed Albert Einstein when Einstein was a visiting professor at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Einstein was attracted by the research being done there, particularly at the Mount Wilson observatory—which housed the world's largest telescope at the time—and the theoretical processing of its astronomical discoveries. (17992)
Unsigned Photograph Science & Technology