Walery, Stanislaw Julian Ignacy Ostroróg

Stanislaw Julian Ignacy Ostrorog (also known as Walery, Stanislas Walery, Lucien Walery, and Laryew, born 12 September 1863 – 24 February 1929) was a Polish photographer active in London and Paris between 1890 and 1929. After inheriting his father’s name and photographic studio in London, he continued with portraiture for about a decade until the turn of the century when he moved definitively to Paris. There he achieved celebrity as an innovator and accomplished photographer of cabaret stars and of the female form.

Ostrorog junior was inspired to learn photographic techniques by his photographer father. He had worked briefly alongside him in the London studio named after his mother, Walery Ltd. After his father’s death, however, he found the business side a struggle and soon went into partnership with the ambitious young English theatrical photographer, Alfred Ellis (1854–1930) and began trading as Ellis & Walery from new premises in Baker Street until 1908. For four years between 1890 and 1894 he worked on developing a Heliogravure process for the reproduction of art, although that did not produce the results he desired until much later in Paris. In the meantime he continued with portraits of society people including royalty as his father had done earlier. The NPG records that Walery, father and son, is associated with 197 portraits, including Dan Leno and King George V, while Ellis has 180 portraits to his name, mainly of “theatrical royalty”. They appear to have kept their authorship and sitters separate, while sharing studio facilities.

Below are some examples, information and price guide to photographic works by Walery including a photo of Josephine Baker and a photo of Victor Hugo.

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