b. 1892 Szeged, Hungary, d. 1965
photographer
American

At age twelve, Hungarian-born Nickolas Muray enrolled in graphic arts school, where he learned lithography, photoengraving, and photography. After graduation he took a three-year course in color photography, learning how to make color filters. Upon moving to New York, Muray went to work for publisher Condé Nast as a photo-engraver, making color separations and halftone negatives.

In 1920 Muray opened a photographic portrait studio in his Greenwich Village home. He photographed presidents, theater and dance performers, and other celebrated members of society, and Harper's Bazaar began publishing his work regularly the following year. Of his success, he wrote:

Photography, fortunately, to me has not only been a profession but also a contact between people--to understand human nature and record, if possible, the best in each individual.

In 1930 Muray established one of the first color photography labs in the United States and became an acknowledged master of the carbro process. He also wrote articles for Dance magazine about the artists he photographed and represented the United States in fencing at the Olympic games in 1928 and 1932.