Richard Gordon Matzene (born Jens Rudolph Matzene; – 1950) was a European-born American photographer and art dealer. He took many

portrait photograph Portrait photography, or portraiture, is a type of photography aimed toward capturing the personality of a person or group of people by using effective lighting, backdrops, and poses. A portrait photograph may be artistic or clinical. Frequentl ...

s of members of

high society High society, sometimes simply Society, is the behavior and lifestyle of people with the highest levels of wealth, power, fame and social status. It includes their related affiliations, social events and practices. Upscale social clubs were open ...

Early life

Matzene was born in Europe, either in Denmark, Hungary or in England. He took the title of

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

, although there is no evidence that he was one.

Career

Matzene became a portrait photographer for members of high society in Chicago in 1900. He moved to

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States. With a population of 148,620 and a Syracuse metropolitan area, metropolitan area of 662,057, it is the fifth-most populated city and 13 ...

and opened an art gallery in New York City in 1909. After he went bankrupt in 1911, Matzene moved to Los Angeles, California, where he became a photographer for Hollywood actors and actresses. With

David Hartford David Hartford (1873–1932) was an American actor and film director best known for directing the movie ''Back to God's Country (1919 film), Back to God's Country'' (1919). Selected filmography *''The Dead End'' (1914) *''Tess of the Storm Count ...

, he co-directed ''It Happened in Paris'', a 1919 film starring Madame Yorska. In 1920, he took portrait photographs of women from Montana, and they were published in ''The Anaconda Standard'', the main newspaper in

Anaconda, Montana Anaconda, county seat of Deer Lodge County, Montana, Deer Lodge County, which has a consolidated city-county government, is located in southwestern Montana, United States. Located at the foot of the Anaconda Range (known locally as the "Pintle ...

. Matzene traveled internationally to take portrait photographs of the

British Royal Family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...

, as well Japanese and Chinese politicians like President

Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong (; courtesy name ; October 19, 1864 – June 3, 1928) was a prominent Chinese military and political leader during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. He was the Provisional Vice President of the Republic of China from 191 ...

. He was described as "one of the world's most renowned photographic portrait artists" by ''

The Anaconda Standard The Anaconda Company, also known historically as the Anaconda Gold and Silver Mining Company (1881–1891), Anaconda Mining Company (1891–1895), Anaconda Copper Mining Company (1895–1899), Amalgamated Copper Company (1899–1915), and Anacon ...

'' in 1925. Two years later, he photographed the Nepalese Royal Family. Matzene moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma in the 1920s, and he became an art dealer and patron. Between October 1926 and February 1927, Matzene was the resident photographer at the newly opened Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, branch of the Steffens-Colmer Studio, which was based in Vancouver, British Columbia. By 1932, he was described in the press as "perhaps ..the greatest antiques collector in the world." Matzene donated statues and paintings from his art collection to the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art is an art museum on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman, Oklahoma. Overview The University of Oklahoma’s Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art holds over 20,000 objects in its permanent collection. The museum ...

in 1935. The Ponca City Library received another donation in the 1950s.

Personal life and death

Matzene married Antonia Baumer in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1909. She was an heiress. Matzene died in 1950, aged 75 or 75.

References

1950 deaths People from Chicago People from Ponca City, Oklahoma American portrait photographers 20th-century American photographers American art dealers {{Oklahoma-stub