Biography
Exhibition at the Bonartes Photo Institute "Only the Biggest Construction Sites – Marianne Strobl's Photo Campaigns" 13. 8. to 21. 11. 2025
Marianne Strobl was born as Marianne Nentwich in 1865 in Würbenthal in Austrian Silesia (today: Vrbno pod Pradědem, Czech Republic). Nothing is known about her youth and possible training as a photographer. She probably married surveying technician Josef Strobl in 1891 before moving with him to Neuhäusel in Liptau (today: Liptovský Hradek, Slovakia). The family settled in Vienna around 1893. She registered her photography business in 1894 and initially operated a studio at Müllnergasse 35 in Vienna’s 9th district. Shortly afterward, she moved her workplace to the Prater at Halmgasse 3. She died in Vienna in 1917.
Strobl took on – as far as we know – her first extensive commission as early as 1894, photographing army provisions at the International Exhibition for Public Nutrition, Rescue Services, and Transportation Although some portrait photographs by her are known, her specialty was industrial photography. By 1896, she was working for construction companies and iron fabricators. and was active from Silesia to Trieste, from western Hungary to the Vorarlberg region in Austria. That she could carry out her work alone was impossible due to the size and weight of the cameras required for the image formats (up to 24 x 30 cm): In addition to the camera shutter, the flash devices also had to be operated.
Three of her partners are known by name (Theodor Jelinek, Rudolf Bimberg, Martin Gerlach), while her studio assistants – mostly female, presumably, according to the customs of the time – remain anonymous. Her husband Josef, himself a member of the Vienna Camera Club, often accompanied her as well, as evidenced not only by his presence in photographs but also by entries in hotel registers and the visitors’ books of mountain cabins. However, he himself was never the photographer.
Strobl took on – as far as we know – her first extensive commission as early as 1894, photographing army provisions at the International Exhibition for Public Nutrition, Rescue Services, and Transportation Although some portrait photographs by her are known, her specialty was industrial photography. By 1896, she was working for construction companies and iron fabricators. and was active from Silesia to Trieste, from western Hungary to the Vorarlberg region in Austria. That she could carry out her work alone was impossible due to the size and weight of the cameras required for the image formats (up to 24 x 30 cm): In addition to the camera shutter, the flash devices also had to be operated.
Three of her partners are known by name (Theodor Jelinek, Rudolf Bimberg, Martin Gerlach), while her studio assistants – mostly female, presumably, according to the customs of the time – remain anonymous. Her husband Josef, himself a member of the Vienna Camera Club, often accompanied her as well, as evidenced not only by his presence in photographs but also by entries in hotel registers and the visitors’ books of mountain cabins. However, he himself was never the photographer.
→ Next topic:
© 2025 Photoinstitut Bonartes: Credits : Deutsche Version
