Bernard F. Eilers | Spaarndammer district, Amsterdam (1921)
Bernard F. Eilers | Shell (Trochus niloticus) (1922)
Bernard Eilers was one of the most important Dutch photographers of the first quarter of the twentieth century. His commissioned work is characterised by its pragmatic style, whereas he gave full rein to his artistic talents in his free work.
The archive containing his commissioned photographs spent forty years in a dusty attic belonging to his younger colleague Marius Meijboom before Flip Bool came across it by chance. The commissioned part of Eilers' archive turned out to consist of superb More »
Bernard Eilers was one of the most important Dutch photographers of the first quarter of the twentieth century. His commissioned work is characterised by its pragmatic style, whereas he gave full rein to his artistic talents in his free work.
The archive containing his commissioned photographs spent forty years in a dusty attic belonging to his younger colleague Marius Meijboom before Flip Bool came across it by chance. The commissioned part of Eilers' archive turned out to consist of superb architectural photographs, portraits and reproductions. From a historical point of view the architectural photographs qualify as the most important category of his commissioned work.
Eilers' first outdoor pictures, taken in 1896 in Amsterdam, illustrate his keen interest in atmosphere and light. Previously he had worked in the graphic industry, but in 1911 he decided to set up in business as a portrait and reproduction photographer. His first assignment, from the Dutch railway company, probably dates from 1912-1913. Numerous assignments followed in the ensuing years, mainly from Amsterdam architects and furniture makers.
These commissions were surely due to Eilers' contacts with the artists who frequented his studio. His contact with H.Th. Wijdeveld certainly played an essential part in his architectural photography. Wijdeveld was editor-in-chief of the journal Wendingen, the mouthpiece of the Amsterdam School of architects.
Eilers' commercial work followed the line of his architectural photography. Most of it consisted of industrial reportages, for which he also designed the typography. Eilers thus became one of the Netherlands' first commercial photographers.
Most of his portrait commissions came from private customers. He also portrayed fellow-photographers such as Henri Berssenbrugge, Francis Kramer and Adriaan Boer.
His reproduction work, finally, ranged from the documentation of art collections belonging to prominent Amsterdam dealers and collectors to a commission from the Rijksmuseum to photograph Rembrandt's Night Watch - the first successful reproduction of that painting, incidentally. As well as an important source of income, this branch of photography acted as an inspiration for Eilers' free work, most of which is kept in the municipal archives of Amsterdam. « Less
