Frederick Gutekunst
| Frederick Gutekunst | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
September 25, 1831 Germany |
| Died | April 27, 1917 (aged 85) Philadelphia |
| Resting place | Laurel Hill Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Photographer |
Frederick Gutekunst (September 25, 1831 - April 27, 1917) was possibly the most famous American photographer of his day. His photographic career started in 1856 in Philadelphia and his business grew during the Civil War. After the war his reputation was known outside of Philadelphia and the military so that distinguished individuals were coming to having their portrait made by the master. Eventually, the Gutekunst studio became a photographic industry with two studios in Philadelphia and a large photo reproduction press. He continued working until he died in 1917 from Bright’s Disease. When comparing the overall number of portraits made by Gutekunst and other studios in Philadelphia during the same period one can find similar quality work being accomplished, but photographs with the name Gutekunst on them are of a consistent high quality in different sizes and throughout the years and it is this consistency that made him the Dean of American Photographers.
Frederick Gutekunst was the son of a cabinet maker who claimed to have been born in Germantown in Philadelphia and this story of his birthplace is often reproduced in histories. However, according to his obituary in The Photographic Journal of America he was born in Germany, possibly Haiterbach, Württemberg as was his father. Hence, he was born in a “German” “town”. The reason we should accept this account is due to the friendship between Mr. Gutekunst and his former assistant and at the time of the obituary the founder and publisher of The Photographic Journal of America, Mr. Edward L. Wilson. Mr. Gutekunst most likely wanted clients visiting his studio and gallery to believe that he was born in the more rural and gentile Germantown than a poor immigrant ghetto along the Delaware River waterfront. His birth date is another matter as there were two different dates published during his lifetime. Additionally, among census records there are different years recorded for his birth. The 1880 Census lists his year of birth as 1831, but other Census’ list him as born in 1833 and 1835.
The first listing for Frederick Gutekunst Sr. in Philadelphia is in McElroy’s city directory in 1837 as: Gutterhurst, Frederick, carpenter, at St. John Street (currently N. American St.) north of George in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. This would be the block where N. American St. meets Germantown Ave. This was known as a neighborhood of German immigrants and where Philadelphia’s second German Catholic church, St. Peter’s, was established. One of the remnants of the German character of this part of town is the German Society of Pennsylvania on Spring Garden St.
Frederick Gutekunst Sr. wanted young Frederick to become a lawyer and so he was indentured for six years to Joseph Simon Cohen, prothonotary to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. However, by the time he was eighteen he became more interested in the art of the daguerreotype and became a frequent visitor to Marcus Aurelius Root’s gallery, and his talents turned toward chemistry. One of Frederick’s experiments was a method to mass-produce daguerreotypes; although it was a success, it was not financially practical.
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