Pirie MacDonald
Encyclopedia
Ian Pirie MacDonald was an American
portrait photographer
, New York City
civic leader, and peace advocate. He photographed over 70,000 men in the span of his career, including international heads of state
, religious leaders, and artists.
, MacDonald moved to Hudson, New York
in 1883 where he worked as a photographer's apprentice prior to opening his own studio in Albany
. Upon gaining a reputation in portraiture, MacDonald made the decision to only photograph men moving forward, a decision that even applied to family photos, and from that point on dubbed himself "Pirie MacDonald – Photographer of Men". His prolific body of work encompasses many well-known men of the early to mid-20th century including Spencer Trask
, Woodrow Wilson
, William Ralph Inge
, Seán O'Casey
and Antoine Lumiére
. When asked about his most memorable portrait sittings, he listed Theodore Roosevelt
as his most difficult subject.
organization, he founded the Norwalk Boy Scouts and maintained a camp for the scouts on his White Oak Shade estate in Norwalk, Connecticut
.
MacDonald had a cerebral hemorrhage at White Oak Shade on April 18, 1942, and died at a New York hospital four days later. In accordance with his wishes, all photographic negatives
of his works were destroyed.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
portrait photographer
Portrait photography
Portrait photography or portraiture is the capture by means of photography of the likeness of a person or a small group of people , in which the face and expression is predominant. The objective is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the subject...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
civic leader, and peace advocate. He photographed over 70,000 men in the span of his career, including international heads of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
, religious leaders, and artists.
Photography career
Born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, MacDonald moved to Hudson, New York
Hudson, New York
Hudson is a city located along the west border of Columbia County, New York, United States. The city is named after the adjacent Hudson River and ultimately after the explorer Henry Hudson.Hudson is the county seat of Columbia County...
in 1883 where he worked as a photographer's apprentice prior to opening his own studio in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. Upon gaining a reputation in portraiture, MacDonald made the decision to only photograph men moving forward, a decision that even applied to family photos, and from that point on dubbed himself "Pirie MacDonald – Photographer of Men". His prolific body of work encompasses many well-known men of the early to mid-20th century including Spencer Trask
Spencer Trask
Spencer Trask was an American financier, philanthropist, and venture capitalist. Beginning in the 1870s, Trask began investing and supporting entrepreneurs, including Thomas Edison's invention of the electric light bulb and his electricity network...
, Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, William Ralph Inge
William Ralph Inge
William Ralph Inge was an English author, Anglican priest, professor of divinity at Cambridge, and Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, which provided the appellation by which he was widely known, "Dean Inge."- Life :...
, Seán O'Casey
Seán O'Casey
Seán O'Casey was an Irish dramatist and memoirist. A committed socialist, he was the first Irish playwright of note to write about the Dublin working classes.- Early life:...
and Antoine Lumiére
Auguste and Louis Lumière
The Lumière brothers, Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas and Louis Jean , were among the earliest filmmakers in history...
. When asked about his most memorable portrait sittings, he listed Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
as his most difficult subject.
Personal life
MacDonald married Emilie Van Dusen in 1890. Heavily involved in the Boy Scouts of AmericaBoy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
organization, he founded the Norwalk Boy Scouts and maintained a camp for the scouts on his White Oak Shade estate in Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
.
MacDonald had a cerebral hemorrhage at White Oak Shade on April 18, 1942, and died at a New York hospital four days later. In accordance with his wishes, all photographic negatives
Negative (photography)
In photography, a negative may refer to three different things, although they are all related.-A negative:Film for 35 mm cameras comes in long narrow strips of chemical-coated plastic or cellulose acetate. As each image is captured by the camera onto the film strip, the film strip advances so that...
of his works were destroyed.
Honors
- New York Rotary ClubRotary InternationalRotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
- Past President - Photographer's Association of America - Lifetime Member
- Honorary Master of Photography
- Officer of the French Academy - Order of the Palm
- Royal Photographic SocietyRoyal Photographic SocietyThe Royal Photographic Society is the world's oldest national photographic society. It was founded in London, United Kingdom in 1853 as The Photographic Society of London with the objective of promoting the Art and Science of Photography...
of Great Britain - Honorary Fellow - Professional Photographers' Society of New York - President 1905 and 1907