The Artin Hovsepian Collection contains 78 photographic prints, predominantly portrait crayon enlargements. The majority of the subjects are young women, but portraits of men and children are also included. A number of images include props and outfits suggesting first communions, confirmations, and graduations. Other images suggest related religious themes, including a portrait series of a priest, and a group photograph of a religious school class, possibly at St. Albertus School in Detroit, Michigan. Also included in the collection are photographs of buildings from Hovsepian's Detroit neighborhood; animals; one portrait of an African American male; a man in a uniform; a costumed couple; and a group photograph of a 1925 meeting of the National Council of Women. Of special interest is an enlarged carte de visite of the "904-lb. Woman, Big Laura Wolford."
More than half of the collection is comprised of oval hand colored or tinted crayon enlargements colored with a variety of artistic media and techniques including crayon, pastels, airbrushing, and paint. Many of the images are on a convex molded cardboard or paper meant to create the illusion of three-dimensionality when framed in an oval domed "bubble" glass frame.
Artin M. Garabed Hovsepian was born in Turkey in an Armenian community on April 16, 1878. He immigrated to America in 1909, settling in Detroit, Michigan, hoping to earn enough money for his family to follow. However, he lost his entire family, except for his daughter Teriz (Therese), during the Armenian genocide in Turkey in 1915. Born in 1901 in an Armenian community in Turkey, Teriz spent the years from 1915 to 1924 in hiding and then at German orphanage. At the age of 23, she was reconnected with her father through the Red Cross while working for the American Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. After immigrating to Detroit to live with him in 1924, she worked with her father in his photography business, Artin Studio. Hovsepian's business and home stood on St. Aubin Ave. in Detroit in the heart of "Poletown," Detroit's historically Polish neighborhood. Teriz lived closely with her father, in strict seclusion, and continued to live isolated at the same address after his death.
Hovsepian worked as a professional photographer from 1918-1940, and from 1938-1941 also sold church goods to Polish Catholics in the surrounding neighborhood. St. Albertus Catholic Church, located down the street from his home and business, is featured in the collection, and many of his clients were likely individuals from the congregation. Many of his photographs have religious themes and may reflect this intersection of his professional work. Hovsepian died in Detroit on July 24, 1964, at the age of eighty-six.
After her father's death, Teriz continued to run a flower and religious supply business from their residence until her death 25 years later. At the time of Teriz's death in 1989, her residence was the only house on the block, and was found filled with artistic works including statues, columns and pedestals, leaded glass, crystal, and other items that were part of Hovsepian's work and the interior world of beauty he created for his daughter. Along with this immense collection of antiques, a large amount of religious goods and artificial flowers were also found at the home.