Alexander Seik
Encyclopedia
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
photography, one of foremost exponents of chromophotography
Chromophotography
Chromophotography is a technique, somewhere between painting and photography, which evolved in the second half of the 19th century. Firstly, two prints of the photograph were made. One was hand-painted with very bright colours; the other was painted in paler colours, and then made translucent by...
, painter and mayor of city Tábor
Tábor
Tábor is a city of the Czech Republic, in the South Bohemian Region. It is named after Mount Tabor, which is believed by many to be the place of the Transfiguration of Christ; however, the name became popular and nowadays translates to "camp" or "encampment" in the Czech language.The town was...
.
Biography
Alexander Seik was born in MiroticeMirotice
Mirotice is a town in the Czech Republic. It is known as the birthplace of Mikoláš Aleš, and of Benedikt Žák/Schack, the first performer of the role of Tamino in Mozart's world-famous opera The Magic Flute.-External links:* *...
near Písek
Písek
Písek is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 29 909 .-About:Písek is usually called "The Athens of the South", although Athens is much more southerly, because it has many high schools and schools of higher education, e.g. the Film School in Písek...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. Like many other early photographers, he started out as a portrait painter. On 1 June, 1855, he opened a studio in Mladá Vožice
Mladá Vožice
Mladá Vožice is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic about 17 km north-east of Tábor.-History:The town originated from a settlement around a royal castle built on a hill and is known to have two churches as early as Charles IV's period. According to local resources, the...
, thus becoming one of the original Czech photographers.
In 1855, he moved to Tábor
Tábor
Tábor is a city of the Czech Republic, in the South Bohemian Region. It is named after Mount Tabor, which is believed by many to be the place of the Transfiguration of Christ; however, the name became popular and nowadays translates to "camp" or "encampment" in the Czech language.The town was...
. His studio, where the Hotel Palcát now stands, became very popular. Most of his work was making portraits, mostly in Carte de visite
Carte de visite
The carte de visite was a type of small photograph which was patented in Paris, France by photographer André Adolphe Eugène Disdéri in 1854, although first used by Louis Dodero...
format. He also experimented with outdoor photography – at that time, an immensely difficult task. In 1860, he sold to the City of Tábor
Tábor
Tábor is a city of the Czech Republic, in the South Bohemian Region. It is named after Mount Tabor, which is believed by many to be the place of the Transfiguration of Christ; however, the name became popular and nowadays translates to "camp" or "encampment" in the Czech language.The town was...
, a photograph of the town, for 26 gold pieces, which was equivalent to a typical month’s salary for a teacher. Customers flocked to Seik’s studio in Tábor from surrounding towns, even those that had their own photographic studios.
The oldest known preserved photographs are hand-colored salt paper prints,
now stored in the Práchenské muzeum in Písek
Písek
Písek is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 29 909 .-About:Písek is usually called "The Athens of the South", although Athens is much more southerly, because it has many high schools and schools of higher education, e.g. the Film School in Písek...
, of the parents of August Sedláček
August Sedlácek
August Sedláček was a distinguished Czech historian and archivist. Notably, he worked in medieval history, detailing the history of Medieval castles in the Bohemian Kingdom. He wrote among others extensively on autonomous region of Prachens in the southwest of Bohemia in 1926 .-External links:*...
, dated to 1858.
In 1865, Seik opened a new photographic salon, with more modern equipment, in Mr Mrazík’s house (today, opposite the theatre). After two months, however, he found that the studio lacked adequate light, and he decided to totally renovate, and re-open, his original studio.
Seik’s studio achieved international recognition during the Prussian invasion
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
of Bohemia, in 1866. Many Prussian soldiers chose to be photographed, and then sent the portraits home, as Seik’s photographs were said to be superior to those available in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Some of those portraits are preserved in the collection at the Hussite Museum, in Tábor
Tábor
Tábor is a city of the Czech Republic, in the South Bohemian Region. It is named after Mount Tabor, which is believed by many to be the place of the Transfiguration of Christ; however, the name became popular and nowadays translates to "camp" or "encampment" in the Czech language.The town was...
.
Seik often spoke about his many photographic inventions, but sadly, the details of these have not been preserved. His special interest was chromophotography
Chromophotography
Chromophotography is a technique, somewhere between painting and photography, which evolved in the second half of the 19th century. Firstly, two prints of the photograph were made. One was hand-painted with very bright colours; the other was painted in paler colours, and then made translucent by...
– a portrait technique with a three-dimensional effect. This technique was mastered by only a few photographers, and was a specialty of Central Europe. An article in the Tábor
Tábor
Tábor is a city of the Czech Republic, in the South Bohemian Region. It is named after Mount Tabor, which is believed by many to be the place of the Transfiguration of Christ; however, the name became popular and nowadays translates to "camp" or "encampment" in the Czech language.The town was...
weekly newspaper, in 1865, mentions that Seik had invented an improvement in the technique of chromophotography
Chromophotography
Chromophotography is a technique, somewhere between painting and photography, which evolved in the second half of the 19th century. Firstly, two prints of the photograph were made. One was hand-painted with very bright colours; the other was painted in paler colours, and then made translucent by...
. Another article, by Jakub Husník
Jakub Husník
Jakub Husník was a Czech painter, art teacher and inventor of the improved photolithography method.-Life:...
in 1869, said that a Seik invention had improved photography onto porcelain.
Seik was increasingly engaged in the social life of the town, and became a member of the Sharpshooters Company in 1869, later becoming its commander in 1883. He created for the club an album of portraits of its members. This album is the largest known preserved collection of Seik’s work. In 1872, he joined the Photographic Society of Vienna. He became a member of the Town Council of Tábor
Tábor
Tábor is a city of the Czech Republic, in the South Bohemian Region. It is named after Mount Tabor, which is believed by many to be the place of the Transfiguration of Christ; however, the name became popular and nowadays translates to "camp" or "encampment" in the Czech language.The town was...
in 1870, and joined its Executive in 1873, with responsibility for Police.
In 1878, the weekly newspaper Český Jih announced the founding of the partnership of Alexander Seik and Ignác Šechtl
Ignác Šechtl
Ignác Šechtl , also known as Ignace Schächtl or Hynek Šechtl, was a pioneer of Czech photography and cinematography...
. Some of the photos from this time bear the logo of both photographers, while others show individual logos. However, Seik was losing interest in photography, and was turning his attention to politics, so around 1886, the partnership came to an end.
Seik became Mayor of Tábor
Tábor
Tábor is a city of the Czech Republic, in the South Bohemian Region. It is named after Mount Tabor, which is believed by many to be the place of the Transfiguration of Christ; however, the name became popular and nowadays translates to "camp" or "encampment" in the Czech language.The town was...
in 1889. In the 10 years he held this position, Tábor grew and developed greatly. For example, the Church of the Transfiguration, and the Bechyňe Gate, were re-built; and the Shooting Gallery Community Centre and the Tobacco factory were built. Tábor also at this time became a significant railway centre.
The fulsome newspaper obituary thanked Seik for his services to Tábor, and stated that his untiring efforts had brought Tábor to new glory.