Ernest Nash
Encyclopedia
Ernest Nash was a student of Roman architecture and pioneer of archaeological photography. Nash was born as Ernst Nathan, but later changed his name to Nash when he was living in the United States between 1939 and 1952.
He was a graduate of the University of Jena and had a law office in his native city of Potsdam, Germany.
Nash first went to Italy on August 30, 1936 with a goal of documenting in photographs the ancient ruins of Rome
, Ostia, and Pompeii
. The main reason for fleeing Potsdam was the institution of the racial laws by Adolf Hitler. He emigrated to the United States in 1939, but returned to Italy in 1952 to continue his work. He established the Fototeca Unione archive at the American Academy in Rome
in 1957 and served as its director.
Besides architectural photography he also produced a series of portraits of famous musicians, including Bela Bartok
, while he lived in New York City
. The Bartok photo is still used by the New York Times.
He is survived by his third wife, two daughters, two grandchildren and now two great grand children. His first two wives have already died. Nash died in Rome in 1974.
He was a graduate of the University of Jena and had a law office in his native city of Potsdam, Germany.
Nash first went to Italy on August 30, 1936 with a goal of documenting in photographs the ancient ruins of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Ostia, and Pompeii
Pompeii
The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning...
. The main reason for fleeing Potsdam was the institution of the racial laws by Adolf Hitler. He emigrated to the United States in 1939, but returned to Italy in 1952 to continue his work. He established the Fototeca Unione archive at the American Academy in Rome
American Academy in Rome
The American Academy in Rome is a research and arts institution located on the Gianicolo in Rome.- History :In 1893, a group of American architects, painters and sculptors met regularly while planning the fine arts section of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition...
in 1957 and served as its director.
Besides architectural photography he also produced a series of portraits of famous musicians, including Bela Bartok
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
, while he lived in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The Bartok photo is still used by the New York Times.
He is survived by his third wife, two daughters, two grandchildren and now two great grand children. His first two wives have already died. Nash died in Rome in 1974.
Works
- Roman towns. Photographs and text by Ernest Nash. (New York: J. J. Augustin, 1944).
- Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Rome 2 vol. (1962).
Literature
- Radnoti-Alföldi, M.; Lahusen, M. C.: Ernest Nash - Ernst Nathan: Potsdam, Rom, New York, Rom, Nicolai'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung; 2000. In German. ISBN 3-87584-045-3.