Friedrich W. Butterlin (1904-1981), photographer

Friedrich (sometimes Federico/Fritz/Fredrick/Frederick) Wilhelm Butterlin was born in Cologne, Germany, on 30 November 1904, and was the middle of three brothers (Otto was older, Ernesto younger). He died in Tlajamulco de Zuñiga on 27 December 1981; his remains rest in the municipal cemetery.

Friedrich was a well-known photographer and seems to have been the owner of what was almost certainly one of the first art galleries in Ajijic.

Girls belonging to the Old Colony (Saskatchewan) Mennonites moving to Mexico. Photo by Frederick Butterlin ca 1948

In November 1935, “Fritz Butterlin” gave a keynote address on pictorial art in photography, based on observations made on “his long trips”, at the Club Literario de Inglés in Guadalajara. Friedrich knew several languages, and later in his life, taught English and other languages privately, and worked as a translator for the Mazapán de la Rosa candy factory.

Friedrich’s photographic career spanned several decades. His published photos include some evocative portrait photographs of Mennonites in Mexico published in the Mennonite Life editions of October 1949 and January 1952.

In 1956, Butterlin, working for “Exclusivas Jimenez SA de CV” placed a series of advertisements in El Informador recommending the use of “ADOX” film for photography.

[Last update: February 2023]

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Related posts:

• Unraveling the story of Lake Chapala’s artistic Butterlin brothers
• German-Mexican artist Hanns Otto Butterlin (1900-ca 1960)
• Mexican artist Ernesto Butterlin (ca 1918-1972), aka Ernesto Linares

Tony Burton

Tony Burton’s books include “Lake Chapala: A Postcard History” (2022), “Foreign Footprints in Ajijic” (2022), “If Walls Could Talk: Chapala’s historic buildings and their former occupants” (2020), (available in translation as “Si Las Paredes Hablaran”), “Mexican Kaleidoscope” (2016), and “Lake Chapala Through the Ages” (2008).

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