Edward Morawetz (1886-1967)

The most famous professional photographer of Nowy Targ, Edward Morawetz was born in 1886 in Podwołczyska in Podole. He learned his profession in a photo lab of Brunon Kliszewski in Tarnopol. In 1912, encouraged by his sister for whom Tatra and Podhale were a fascination, he arrived in Nowy Targ and started co-operating with Józef Christ. Since his partner's departure to the USA in 1914 he worked independently.

After the World War I, he moved the headquarters of the „Artistic Photography Lab” to the corner of Kazimierza Wielkiego i Ogrodowa streets. In his atelier there he took hundreds of individual and group pictures of town inhabitants, highlanders and celebrities. Edward Morawetz spent in the capital of Podhal almost all his professional life recording the landscape of the town and its surroundings. He especially held Gorce in high esteem, among his works many pictures of the landscape of Gorce and reports from winter ski excursions can be found. For almost half a century he took part in all important events and celebrations in Nowy Targ and its surroundings and with passion recorded the changes taking place in the town, especially new construction and industrial investments. His self-portraits are excellent - in 1917 he photographed himself in a carriage, as the signature says, in his: „own means of transport, necessary to stay in touch with the so called territory". His passion for music is confirmed by his self-portrait with a mandolin, which he played eagerly. His portrait in the „Falcon” traditional costume, taken most probably in the Brunon Kaliszewski's photo lab, shows other, patriotic and socially committed, face of the photographer.

In 1920 he recorded a wooden, corner house on Kazimierza Wielkiego Street, in which the lab and atelier were located, which was at the same time home of the photographer and his family. On the reverse of the original picture, an inscription by Morawetz informs us with a warm irony: „Our palace in Nowy Targ”. (Photo No. from A. Nowak's collection).

After the death of Edward Morawetz in 1967 the company was taken over by his daughter, Irena Starczowska, who run the lab together with her husband Jan Starczowski until the middle 90s of the 20th century.