Roman Vishniac

Roman Vishniac was a Russian-American photographer who made significant contributions to the field of biology through his work. However, he is perhaps best known for his photographic documentation of the culture of Jews in Central and Eastern Europe prior to the Holocaust. This aspect of his work has been widely recognized and preserved for posterity.

Vishniac's photographic archive is a testament to his enduring legacy. Until 2018, a major collection of his work was housed at the International Center of Photography. In that year, his daughter, Mara Vishniac Kohn, donated the archive to The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life at the University of California, Berkeley, where it continues to be preserved and made available for study and appreciation.