Museo del Pampulaglio, Roma. Albumen print, Getty Museum. Public domain photograph.

Joseph Spithover began his career as a photographer in the early 1840s when he opened his studio in Trieste. He quickly gained recognition for his work and became popular with the upper classes of Trieste. His portraits were in great demand and he soon expanded his business to other cities in Italy. In the 1850s Spithover moved to Vienna, Austria, where he continued his successful career as a photographer. He set up a new studio and became the official photographer of the Austrian Imperial Court. He also photographed many famous people of his time, including Franz Liszt, Giuseppe Verdi and Johann Strauss II. Spithover's work was highly regarded for its technical excellence and artistic quality. He was renowned for his use of natural light and his ability to capture the personality of his subjects. His portraits were often characterised by sharp focus, rich tonality and dramatic lighting. Spithover continued to work as a photographer until his death in Vienna on 7 December 1892. Today, his photographs are considered some of the finest examples of 19th century portrait photography and are highly regarded by collectors and art historians.