The Karsh brothers, arriving in Ottawa as young Armenian refugees, would build careers as world-acclaimed photographers — Yousuf with his penetrating portraits of some of the twentieth century's most prominent figures and Malak for his exquisite eye in capturing the sublime beauty of nature and landscape.

Yousuf Karsh’s career was launched in December 1941 on Parliament Hill, when the young photographer leaned forward and pulled the cigar from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s scowling mouth to capture the iconic photograph to become known as “The Roaring Lion”.

While Yousuf became famous for his portraits of world figures, Malak was more drawn to the beauty of nature. Malak Karsh’s efforts are credited with the establishment of the Canadian Tulip Festival held annually in Ottawa.

For many years, Malak’s scene of the log-strewn Ottawa River below Parliament Hill was featured on the back of Canada’s dollar bill, while Yousuf’s portraits of the Queen would grace the front our currency.

In 2024, international award-winning Ottawa photographer Paul Couvrette (a friend and colleague of the Karsh brothers) shared their remarkable story as part of the HSO Speaker Series. Here is Dave Kent’s summary of Paul’s talk, as well as a link to a recording of the presentation: www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/publications/past-presentations/paul-couvrette-and-the-karsh-brothers