Witcomb Studio

The Witcomb Photographic Studio was founded by English photographer Alejandro S. Witcomb (1835–1905). His business career began through a partnership with Roberto Mackern, with whom, in 1878, he acquired the prestigious photographic studio of the renowned José Christiano de Freitas Henriques Junior—better known as Christiano Junior. This establishment, located at 208 Florida Street, between Cuyo (now Sarmiento) and Corrientes, included not only top-tier facilities and gallery cameras but also a valuable archive of negatives accumulated over a decade, containing historical images and the records of two important albums published in 1876 and 1877.

The Witcomb & Mackern partnership lasted until 1883. In his next business move, Witcomb sought to elevate the artistic prestige of his firm and, in 1884, partnered with the talented Portuguese photographer José Virginio Freitas Henriques (1851–1928), known as Freitas and son of the famed Christiano Junior. This new partnership, Witcomb & Freitas, marked a pivotal moment in the studio's consolidation. At 34, Freitas brought with him a strong reputation as a portraitist, deep expertise in the trade, and familiarity with the distinguished clientele of his father’s studio, which he himself had managed for six years prior to its sale. Interestingly, by joining Witcomb, Freitas returned to work in the same Florida Street studio he knew intimately.

During this period, the studio offered clients all the popular photographic formats of the time—carte de visite, portrait cabinet, promenade, boudoir, and the large imperial—and became a key meeting place for Buenos Aires high society. Prominent families such as the Chopiteas, Senillosas, and Martínez de Hoz, as well as notable scientific figures like Carlos Spegazzini, were among its patrons. The numbering of Florida Street changed over time, and the original address at 208 eventually became 364.

The partnership between Witcomb and Freitas ended around 1887, at which point Alejandro Witcomb took full control of the studio for the first time. At the beginning of the 20th century, the company broadened its focus and began operating as an art gallery as well. After Witcomb’s death in 1905, the business passed to his son, Alejandro Witcomb (1879–1945), along with Rosendo Martínez, who had joined as an apprentice in 1887 and rose to become the studio's chief operator.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Witcomb became a cultural reference point, organizing exhibitions of French and Spanish art. In 1939, the gallery moved to a new location at 760 Florida Street. Additionally, the studio expanded its presence by opening a branch in Mar del Plata, at location 105 of the Rambla Bristol, during the 1915–1916 season. This branch operated successfully until the early 1940s.

Thanks to its prestige and adaptability, the Witcomb Studio endured for nearly a century. Though it passed through various owners over the years, its Florida Street location remained active until 1970, leaving a lasting mark on the history of photography and visual culture in Argentina.