Photographer Felix Man, born in Germany in 1893, developed an early interest in photography due to a failed school photograph flash. He began as a self-taught photographer at age 11, later studying fine art and art history at the University of Munich. After the First World War, he moved to Berlin, initially working as an illustrator before transitioning to photography. His big break came in 1929 when he joined the Deutscher Photodienst agency and adopted the professional name Felix Man.
Man produced over 100 photo essays for Ullstein Verlag newspapers and gained fame for his 1931 essay 'A Day with Mussolini.' However, in 1934, due to ideological opposition to the Nazis, he left Germany for England, where he worked as a freelance photographer, collaborating with Stefan Lorant on the publication Weekly Illustrated. He also worked for the Daily Mirror, film companies, and fashion magazines.
During World War II, he was briefly interned on the Isle of Man but continued his work, focusing on color photography upon his release in 1940. In 1948, he became a British citizen. In the 1950s, he contributed to American magazines like Life and Sports Illustrated, capturing portraits of famous artists.
Towards the end of his career, Man shifted his focus to building a substantial private collection of lithographs and publishing works by contemporary artists. He passed away in 1985, leaving behind a legacy of photography and lithography. His work is part of collections at the National Portrait Gallery and Tate in London.In 1921, he made the first of three trips to Holland, where he spent time with his uncle, the painter and potter Bernard Boeziek. Houthuesen became a British citizen in 1922 and started designing lettering for the architectural sculpture firm Aumonier in 1923-1924.
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