Death of Garabed Krikorian (December 11, 1920)

Garabed Krikorian was an Armenian photographer known for his pioneering work in photography in Jerusalem during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  

Krikorian was born in Smyrna (Izmir) in 1847. He moved to Jerusalem in 1859,  at the age of twelve, to pursue his education at the Armenian school in the St. James Cathedral. He was introduced to photography through the school workshop established in 1855 by Archimandrite Yesayi Garabedian, who later became Yesayi IV, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem (1864-1885). He later met and married Karimah Tannous, a Lutheran student at the Talitha Kumi orphanage, and Krikorian became a follower of Lutheranism.  

In 1885, Krikorian established Jerusalem’s first photographic studio, located on Jaffa Street in the historic center of the city. He collaborated with several colleagues and later worked alongside his son Johannes Krikorian (1885–1950).  

Garabed Krikorian specialized in portrait photography, particularly in the Eastern style, which was popular among both locals and visitors. This contributed to the growth of the photographic industry in the city. His clientele included Jewish, Arab, and European residents of Jerusalem, as well as tourists attracted to the distinctive aesthetic of his work.  

His portraits often captured individuals in traditional attire, emphasizing their cultural or social identity. This made his studio particularly popular among locals and foreign visitors who wanted to commemorate their time in Jerusalem with an image that reflected the region’s distinctive character.  

Krikorian was the teacher of many well-known photographers, such as Khalil Raad, the first Arab photographer in Palestine. In 1890, Raad established his studio next to Krikorian’s, and a ferocious competition started, ending in the 1910s with the marriage of Krikorian’s son with Raad’s cousin. Another student of Krikorian was Yaakov Ben-Dov, known as the pioneer of Israeli cinematography. 

Garabed Krikorian died on December 11, 1920, and was buried on Mount Zion, in the Protestant cemetery. His photographic business was continued by his son Johannes until 1948.