Ohannes Kurkdjian

Ohannes Kurkdjian (sometimes spelled Onnes or Hovhannes in Armenian) was an influential photographer born in 1851 in Kyurin (modern-day Gürün, Ottoman Empire). Active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Kurkdjian worked in several locations, including Yerevan, Tiflis, Singapore, and Surabaya (now in Indonesia), where he established a prominent photography business. Kurkdjian’s photography career began with producing stereoscopic images of Ani, an ancient Armenian city. After working briefly for another photographer in Singapore, he moved to Surabaya, where he founded his own studio, Kurkdjian Atelier. This business later became known as O. Kurkdjian & Co. Under his leadership, the studio grew to employ at least 30 people, including Thilly Weissenborn, one of Indonesia’s first notable female photographers. The studio became renowned for its portraits, including famous images of local and regional figures such as Pakoe Boewono X, the Susuhunan (king) of Solo, and for producing a wide range of landscape, business, architectural, and trade-related photographs. Kurkdjian’s work played a significant role in documenting the Dutch East Indies era, capturing both the natural beauty of the region and the bustling commercial and cultural life. In 1897, Kurkdjian was joined by English photographer G. P. Lewis, who eventually took over the business after Kurkdjian’s death in 1903. The studio was later acquired by Mieling & Co., a pharmaceutical company, in 1915. One of the most famous images of Kurkdjian shows him photographing a volcano with a large tripod-mounted camera, which underscores his dedication to capturing the dramatic landscapes of the region. Kurkdjian’s legacy is notable for his contributions to both portrait photography and the documentation of the Indonesian archipelago during the colonial period. His work remains a valuable historical record of the time.