Dr. Emil Mayer | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Dr. Emil Mayer | |
| Born | 3 October 1871 Neubydzow, Bohemia |
| Died | 8 June 1938 (aged 66) Vienna, Austria |
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Education | University of Vienna |
| Known for | Photography |
| Movement | Pictorialism |
| Spouse |
Elisabeth Deutsch (18 March 1882 – 8 June 1938)
(m. 1903; died 1938) |
| Elected |
|
Dr. Emil Mayer FRPS (3 October 1871 – 8 June 1938) was an Austrian photographer, lawyer, inventor, and businessperson.
Emil Mayer was born on 3 October 1871 in Neubydzow, Bohemia (now Nový Bydžov, Czech Republic) to Leopold and Anna Mayer.[4] In the summer of 1882, Mayer moved with his family to Vienna, Austria, where “his father set up business as a merchant.”[5]
From 1891 to 1896, Mayer studied law at the University of Vienna, where he earned the Juris Doctor.
While still a student, Mayer left the Jewish community and converted to Catholicism. On 8 March 1894 he was baptized at the Johann Nepomuk Church (Leopoldstadt) under the name Robert Emil.[4] The painter Max von Esterle was his godfather.[4]
On 6 June 1903 he married Elisabeth Deutsch (18 March 1882 – 8 June 1938).[6]
To escape persecution from the Nazi regime after the annexation of Austria in March 1938, Mayer and his wife died by suicide in their home (BöcklinStraße 12) in Vienna on 8 June 1938.[7][6]
After Mayer completed his studies at the University of Vienna, he established a law practice at Salvatorgasse 10 in Vienna.[4]
Mayer's first experience in photography was as an amateur, and he was a member of several Viennese photographer associations that focused on artistic photography. His artistic photos include documentary images of Wienerstraße images.[8]
Mayer was an honorary member of many domestic and foreign photographers' clubs. He also authored a textbook and was awarded several patents for photographic devices.[9]
Finally, Mayer left this he law firm and founded a photographic technology company DREM-Zentrale with Nikolaus Benedik.[7] The company's name was an abbreviation of DR. E. Mayer. International branches of the company included, DREM Products Corporation in New York and DREM Products Ltd. in London, England.[7][4]
