[Four men wearing welding helmets weld a piece of metal]

Rudolf Koppitz (1884-1936) was an Austrian photographer and teacher known for his work in the Pictorialist style. He studied photography in Vienna and became a member of the Vienna Camera Club in 1909. Koppitz's images often featured soft focus, atmospheric lighting and naturalistic subjects such as landscapes, nudes and portraits. He also experimented with photomontage and other techniques. Koppitz was a prolific writer and lecturer on photography and was instrumental in founding the Austrian Photographic Society. He taught at the Graphische Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt in Vienna and was a mentor to many younger photographers. Koppitz's work was widely exhibited during his lifetime and has been included in numerous retrospectives since his death.