Leopold Eidlitz

Leopold Eidlitz ( born March 10, 1823 in Prague, † 1908 in New York City ) was an Austrian-American architect. He created his most famous works in New York, including the New York State Capitol in Albany, the Iran Istan lock for PT Barnum in Bridgeport and many religious buildings.

Biography

Eidlitz was born in Prague into a Jewish family. His parents were Abraham and Judith Eidlitz, his brother Mark ( later Marc ) Eidlitz ( 1826-1892 ) also became a successful architect. Leopold Eidlitz received his early education at a technical high school in Prague and then continued his education at the Technical University of Vienna. There he was enrolled in the short-lived business school. Eidlitz emigrated from Vienna to the United States in 1843 and settled in New York. His brother Markus emigrated to New York three years later.

Eidlitz spent three formative years in the office of Richard Upjohn.

In 1846 Eidlitz a partnership with the German immigrant architect Karl (now Charles) Blesch Otto, who had studied in Munich under Friedrich von Gärtner. Together, they received several Baukommissionen in New York.

Eidlitz was a founding member of the American Institute of Architects in 1857. In 1859 he joined the Century Association at.

Eidlitz wrote numerous articles in journals such as The Crayon in the 1850s and the American Architect and Building News in the early 1870s. One of his most important books was The Nature and Function of Art, More Especially of Architecture from the year 1881.

His son Cyrus LW Eidlitz (1853-1921) was known as the architect of One Times Square.