User:Prunk/Avgust

Avgust Berthold (born July 20 1880, died 1919 in Ljubljana) was a Slovenian photographer and impressionist.

Life and work
Berthold was born in Puštal castle in which lived the family Oblak-Wolkensperg, from which was his mother Ema. Ema Wolkensperg was the sister of Puštal baron, who was owner of Wolkensperg castle. Soon after Berthold was born, his mother Ema died, so he was raised by his father, but because father was busy with his job, he was raised up by his grandmother. When Berthold was 7 years old, his father died of dissease and relatives in Puštal took care about his education.

He has encountered with photography with Rihard Jakopič, who was living in Puštal. He told him about the possibilities of education abroad in Munich and Vienna, which were at that time the biggest centers for artistic, spiritual and professional development, where most of the Slovenian artist went. Also Berthold attended many lectures and shows in Munich, where he attended Anton Ažbes painting class and in Vienna, where he was educated into new photographic possibilities and was also improving them later.

One day Berthold and his relative Alexander Berthold, the admiral in Pula and Triest bought a lottery ticket and won the main prize. This happy coincidence allowed him to buy a house in Ljubljana and set up the atelier.

Photographic atelier
In the spring of 1905 Berthold received the operation permit for his atelier. In the newspaper called Slovenski Narod he published the advert, where it said that "He announces the opening of the most modern photographic atelier in Ljubljana and invites people to attend his services of portrait, outdoor, interior, sport, group, reproduction photography. Atelier was opened also on sundays and hollidays"

His works were exhibited at very influential shows, from which he received many prizes. Most important was a bronze medal which he received at the international show of art on 75th independance of Belgium, very important was also a prize from the show in Oslo, Norway. Data about the both prizes were printed at the back of each photography, which were decorated with ornaments and signature on the front side of the picture.

Berthold also acquired an X-ray device, which helped him earning the money for him and his family during the war years. The line in front of an X-ray hospital was very long with the injuries sustained at Battle of the Isonzo, but handling the X-ray device was very dangerous and it was exclusivelly Berthold's task. After the year 1919 he got sick becouse of the collected radioactivity and died by the age of 39. X-ray device was handed to Dr. Pogačnik and was last used at vet clinic and is now residing at the technical museum in Bistra.