1871-1956

Helmar Lerski’s real name was Israel Schmuklerski. Born in Strasbourg, France, Lerski laid some important foundations of modern photography. He focused mainly on portraits and the technique of photography with mirrors.

In 1888, Lerski emigrated to the United States, where he worked as an actor. He began to photograph around 1910, and in 1915 he returned to Europe to work as a cameraman and special effects expert for many films, including Fritz Lang's Metropolis. 

At the end of the 1920s, Lerski made a name as an avant-garde portrait photographer. In 1932, he emigrated with his second wife to Palestine, where he continued to work as a photographer, cameraman, and film director. On 22 March 1948, they left Palestine and settled again in Zurich, where Lerski died in 1956. Lerski’s works are on display in the USA, Germany, Israel and Switzerland.