Ernő Koch

Who was Ernő Koch?

Ernő Koch was a Hungarian graphic artist.

Koch attended the Academy of Arts in Budapest. As a student, he worked during the summers in printmaking plants and won several prizes for poster designs. The Hungarian National Bank invited him to participate in a competition for new treasury notes. He graduated from the Academy in 1922. During 1921 - 23 Koch worked for CHNOIN, the largest pharmaceutical-chemical factory in Hungary, the Hungarian Institute of Fighting Plant Disease and the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture designing posters and packages with drawings of plant cross sections, insects and bacteria. Also, during this time Koch worked as an Industrial Artist providing illustrations of machines, aerial views and products.

In 1923 Koch was invited to go to Estonia by the Hungarian professor Csekey to illustrate his book on Estonia and Finland. He stayed in Estonia from 1926 to 1940, where he made many drawings of well known places. He worked for companies such as Kiviõli Shale Oil Refinery and Lorop Glass Factory. His drawings, woodcuts and etchings were used as publicity material, Christmas cards and pamphlets. The Hansa publishing house commissioned Koch to illustrate books.