Ivan Bianchi. Photos of St. Petersburg and Moscow in 1850-70s
ARTinvestment.RU   28 февраля 2014

In the Multimedia Art Museum as part of "Biennale 2014" an exhibition of outstanding Swiss photographer and artist of the XIX century, one of the founders of genres such as architectural photography and photo essay - Ivan (Giovanni) Bianchi

Multimedia Art Museum
February 27 - April 20, 2014
ul. Ostozhenka , 16

In the 10th International Month of Photography in Moscow "Biennale 2014" Mumm presents an exhibition of outstanding Swiss photographer and artist of the XIX century , one of the founders of such genres as photo reportage and architectural photography - Ivan ( Giovanni ) Bianchi " photos of St. Petersburg and Moscow in 1850 and 1870 ».

In the second half of the XIX century, the art of photography has attracted more and new followers among artists , winning the opportunity to reveal their talents in an entirely new profession , using a completely new means of expression . Many photographers have seen their mission to educate the public - the first armed with cameras , they went on an expedition to Europe, Africa and the East , fixing the great works of art of past centuries and the capital's sights. Ivan Bianchi set out to introduce contemporary art treasures from the young capital of the Russian Empire .

in 1852 , armed with the latest technology : calotypy ( talbotipiya , Daguerreotype on paper) and mokrokollodionnym way method Archer , Nicholas Bianchi arrived in Petersburg, struck the photographer integrity of the architectural environment , as well as daring ideas embodied the best architects in Europe .

Systematic shooting Petersburg and its environs began in 1853. As if anticipating future changes appearance of the city , with extraordinary thoroughness Bianchi photographed squares, embankments , palaces, temples , bridges - all that , in his opinion , allowed to convey the atmosphere of the city. Photographed by carefully selecting point shooting angles , lighting , trying to identify the maximum ensemble nature of the surrounding space , especially climate originality of architectural design . In his pictures , you can see the 1853 Peter and Paul Fortress with another wooden spire of the cathedral , the Admiralty with " Onegin Boulevard ", the Palace , the Admiralty and the Senate Square, unusual , no angels on the corners of Isaac and Kazan Cathedral , a monument to Peter I and Alexander Column - 60 subjects in the first year .

When Alexander II Russian Empire embarked on the path of economic, political and social reforms , which could not but affect all aspects of life at that time , in St. Petersburg almost stopped state regulation of construction, he gradually became more and more and more new features peculiar to the city of the industrial era . In accordance with the new trends in architecture changed and photographic activities Bianchi .

Master was personally acquainted with many leading architects and reformers was in the thick of things , on the one hand , responding to growing interest of Russian public architecture as the mouthpiece of the zeitgeist , the other - to satisfy the curiosity of Europeans who were interested in taking place in Moscow and St. Petersburg changes. Perfect understanding in plastic features styling solutions facades, the intricacies of design solutions - Bianchi affected years of training in the " art class " (later transformed into the Moscow School of Painting , Sculpture and Architecture ) - photographer tirelessly filmed countless building a wide variety of styles and functionalities . His photographs - upgrading royal residences , mansions and cottages Petersburg nobility , and Red Square in Moscow Pashkov House , churches and chapels in the interest of European masters " national style ". He shot hotels and schools , railway stations , banks, apartment houses . He captures the creation of leading architects of contemporary St. Petersburg AK Kavos , Montferrand , Stakenschneider , AI Krakau , N. L.Benua , I. Monighetti , G. E. Boss , D. Grimm , VAShretera and many others .

to use more than modest by today's standards photographic arsenal master incidentally had to solve many problems of a purely technical properties involuntarily developing in practice the basic techniques of architectural photography , become a model and laid the foundation for the practice of photographing of architectural objects. Looking good decisions photographer was forced to rely not only on artistic flair , knowledge of the characteristics of a particular style , but also thoroughly understand the laws of optics. To preserve the impression of three-dimensionality of the architectural object on a two dimensional plane of the sheet where the photographer needed a more thorough than the painter , the choice camera angles , perspective , character lighting , etc.

ability Ivana Bianchi combine in one frame as much information , creating a complex and integral image , most clearly expressed in the pictures , which can be denoted by the word " photo essay ." Photographers XIX century were not able to fix the transience and mutability of the events - was too low sensitivity LPs realizing it , even before the ceremonies of the best craftsmen carefully chosen just the position precisely the moment that the maximum expressiveness could talk about what was happening .

The earliest known photo essay today Bianchi refers to 1852. Then , while in Paris , he witnessed a large army holiday on the Field of Mars . This image , as well as other Paris Photo of the same year with the image of the church of St. Eustace and located at the foot of the ancient city market - one of the first attempts to sequential shooting in the history of photography .

In January 1854 Bianchi opened its second season Petersburg shooting one of the brightest annual holidays - Epiphany blessing of the waters on the Neva. Lived in the capital just over a year , not familiar with local customs, Bianchi froze with his portable laboratory of urban onlookers , unable to choose the optimal point shooting , for that he was as yet neither the authority nor the right dating. Familiar to us the image of the reporter of the XX century , with the camera scurrying among the participants , is radically different from that of a photojournalist XIX century. Despite the fact that over time, the chemical- physical properties of the emulsion layers have been greatly improved , the success of a photographer outdoors largely determined by the correct choice -point shooting . Already in the following year, 1855 Bianchi made ​​a great shot of the funeral of Emperor Nicholas I. One single snapshot told us the complete information about the funeral procession . In the picture , and frozen in the entire length of the Annunciation bridge spans rank soldiers pay their last respects to the emperor, and solemnly sailing over a frozen Neva hearse and dam embankment crowd miscarrying in silence citizens. On extant photographs were Bianchi and other ceremonies of national importance : the opening of a monument to Nicholas I, Catherine II , and the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of Peter I.

K another vast array of heritage Bianchi belong shooting domestic species Petersburg palaces and mansions , one of the first - a series of pictures of the front yard of the house O. Monferrana , made ​​in 1853. Architect Auguste Montferrand was an avid collector and turned his house on the Moika in a real museum , placing him treasures of ancient and modern art . In addition, Bianchi sealed rooms for distinguished guests in the Grand Hermitage and lush interiors of the Mariinsky Theatre performed A. Kavos and NL Benois , famous Chamber Stroganov and Beloselsky -Belozersky Palace on Nevsky Prospekt , apartments Sheremetevskii Palace ( Fountain House ) interiors mansions PS Stroganov , Golitsyn , Skobelevs ... it can be argued that it was Bianchi opened the doors of houses of famous people of Petersburg , letting the viewer into their personal space .

Petersburg expedition lasted Bianchi '32 . He left St. Petersburg in the early years of the reign of Alexander III, when photographers began a new era , and the pace of city life became unbearable for him . Returning to his home in Switzerland has not brought him peace - it irresistibly drawn back to the banks of the Neva River , where, however, he sold everything before leaving . Once in power adventuress in whose name translated Bianchi capital , he was ruined and he died in poverty . All imported from Russia negatives were previously sold his wife as simple glass .

Source : press release Mumm