Model. She shall be remembered for the literally countless images created by her husband Harry Callahan. Born Eleanor Anita Knapp she was raised in the Detroit suburbs and was working as a secretary for Chrysler when she met aspiring photographer Harry Callahan (1912-1999) on a 1933 blind date. The pair married three years later and during the early days they were mostly supported by Eleanor as she could make more from office work than Harry could teaching; in 1941 Harry attended a lecture by Ansel Adams that set his career course and as he could not then afford professional models he photographed his wife. Harry began taking a vast number of pictures of Eleanor both nude and clothed and with time included the couple's only child Barbara (born 1950) in the photos; indeed Barbara started showing up even during the pregnancy. As the Callahans moved from Detroit to Chicago to Providence, Rhode Island, Harry took the pictures while Eleanor posed for them and handled the financial details of their lives. As Harry became famous and started publishing collections as well as showing his work in museums the world over numerous models offered their services but they were seldom used. Eleanor continued appearing in front of the camera until her husband's demise; at her death from cancer she could be seen in a 100th. birthday exhibit of Harry's work at Washington's National Gallery of Art.
Model. She shall be remembered for the literally countless images created by her husband Harry Callahan. Born Eleanor Anita Knapp she was raised in the Detroit suburbs and was working as a secretary for Chrysler when she met aspiring photographer Harry Callahan (1912-1999) on a 1933 blind date. The pair married three years later and during the early days they were mostly supported by Eleanor as she could make more from office work than Harry could teaching; in 1941 Harry attended a lecture by Ansel Adams that set his career course and as he could not then afford professional models he photographed his wife. Harry began taking a vast number of pictures of Eleanor both nude and clothed and with time included the couple's only child Barbara (born 1950) in the photos; indeed Barbara started showing up even during the pregnancy. As the Callahans moved from Detroit to Chicago to Providence, Rhode Island, Harry took the pictures while Eleanor posed for them and handled the financial details of their lives. As Harry became famous and started publishing collections as well as showing his work in museums the world over numerous models offered their services but they were seldom used. Eleanor continued appearing in front of the camera until her husband's demise; at her death from cancer she could be seen in a 100th. birthday exhibit of Harry's work at Washington's National Gallery of Art.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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