Julius Shulman (October 10, 1910 – July 15, 2009), known as “the leading architectural photographer of the 20th century” and “the recorder of American Modernism,” captured the essence of mid-century modern architecture. Born to a Ukrainian-Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, he moved to Los Angeles while still a boy. Without formal training, he audited classes at UCLA and UC Berkeley before starting his photography career in 1936.
Shulman’s career began by chance when he photographed Richard Neutra’s Kun Residence with a pocket camera, leading to a lifelong collaboration. He worked with architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, R.M. Schindler, and Raphael Soriano, who designed his Hollywood Hills home, later named a Los Angeles historic cultural monument. His iconic 1960 image of Case Study House #22 for Arts & Architecture magazine defined modernist design.
His work, featured in the Los Angeles Times and global publications, earned him international acclaim and the AIA’s honorary lifetime membership in 1998. Shulman sold over 260,000 negatives to the Getty Research Institute in 2004, preserving his 75-year legacy. A mentor to architects and photographers, he also championed environmental causes, integrating nature into his work. Shulman passed away peacefully at his home in 2009, leaving a lasting impact through exhibitions, books, and the documentary Visual Acoustics (2008).
View a select grouping of Julius Shulman works online here or speak with a GALLERY M specialist today.
