A portrait photographer, Karsh specialized in politicians, scientists and writers. His ability to capture the essence of his subject was renowned: many of his portraits were used to make postage stamps, including those for Britain, Canada, Germany, India, Monaco, Sweden, USA and the Vatican.
He is best known for the 1941 “Roaring Lion” portrait of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Karsh was given two minutes to take the photo. Churchill smiled for the portrait, which didn’t suit the statesman who was standing up to the Nazis, so Karsh took away his cigar. Churchill gave a massive scowl at the affront, which was just the look Karsh wanted. The resulting photo is perhaps the most-reproduced portrait in history.
“My quest in making a photograph is for a quality that I know exists in the personality before me,” Karsh once said. “I believe that it is the artist’s job to accomplish at least two things: to stir the emotions of the viewer and to lay bare the soul of his subject.” He died July 13 in Boston at age 93.