Bernard Eilersartist • painter • watercolourist • draughtsmanAmsterdam 1878-1951

The Amsterdam resident Bernard Eilers worked his way up from painter's assistant to apprentice lithographer through lessons at the Teekenschool voor Kunstambachten. He soon excelled in related photography. In 1907 he started his own photographic studio and quickly became known as a portrait and architecture photographer. Amsterdam was his 'city of cities'. He preferred to draw, paint and photograph the canals and the busy commercial center around Dam Square, driven by his vision of the character of the city, his artistic talent and his admiration for painters such as George Breitner and Willem Witsen. He preferred winter mornings and 'nasty days'.