Scope and Content of Collection
Spanning two centuries and roughly one hundred years, the collection of over 6,000
photographic images forms a visual record of the late years of the Ottoman Empire and the
formation and early years of the Republic of Turkey. The collection focuses on cultural and
urban images, mainly of Constantinople (Istanbul), the capital of the Ottoman Empire, but
other geographic areas, such as the Balkans, and other cities and towns within the empire
such as Bursa and Smyrna (Izmir) are included, as are a few images from places such as
Greece, Egypt, Jerusalem, India and China. The collection is supported by a small group of
pamphlets and offprints regarding photography in the Ottoman Empire and by a small
assemblage of photographic ephemera.
The first photographs of the Ottoman Empire were likely taken on February 8, 1840 by Goupil
Fresquet in the harbor of Izmir. From this date forward the Ottoman Empire, and especially
its magnificent capital, attracted a large number of photographers of both European and
eastern origin. The voracious European appetite for images of the Ottoman Empire is
evidenced by the fact that most of the present collection was acquired on the European
market. The earliest photographs in the collection include Claude-Marie Ferrier's glass
lantern slides and glass plate negatives of Istanbul and views of the Bosporus from the
1850s; images of Istanbul, Athens, Jerusalem, and Egypt and Ottoman portraits and "types",
made in the 1850s by the Englishman James Robertson, chief engraver at the Imperial Ottoman
Mint, alone and with his partner and brother-in-law Felice Beato; and the poitevin prints
made after photographs taken by Pierre Trémaux during his 1853-1854 journey to the
archaeological sites of Asia Minor.
Gigord collected thematically. Although the collection is arranged by format, his method of
collecting is especially evident in the loose and single photographs as well as in the
albums which, rather than being general compilations, tend to focus on specific subjects,
time periods or geographic areas. Views and monuments of Istanbul and the Bosporus are
copiously represented in the collection. In addition to the twelve joined panoramas of the
city and environs there are also numerous general views of specific geographic areas and
neighborhoods. Monuments frequently represented include mosques and churches such as the
Süleymaniye mosque, the Sultan Ahmed or Blue Mosque, the Ortayköy mosque and the former
mosque and church/mosque of Hagia Sophia. Palaces include the Topkapi Palace and Dolmabahçe
Palace. Istanbul's Roman past is represented by views of the Hippodrome and its Serpent
Column, Walled Obelisk and Obelisk of Theodosius, and by the Burnt Column and the Valens
aqueduct; while the city's medieval Genoan history is represented by views of the Galata
Tower.
The Bosporus strait, and the seas it joins – the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara – are
extensively documented, as is the Golden Horn and its bridges, and especially the Galata
Bridge. The Ottoman fortresses built to defend the Bosporus (Rumeli Hisari built by Mehmed
II, and Anadolu Hisari built by Bayezid I) are frequently depicted. Life on the Bosporus and
surrounding seas is portrayed in abundant views of boating, both for pleasure and
transportation, fishing and fishermen, and by the waterfront residences in both humble
villages and the yalis or villas of wealthy residents. Frequent depictions of steamers
attest to the bustling international shipping and tourist industries.
The collection contains numerous photographs of Turkish "types", including occupational
portraits as well as portraits of representatives of the many ethnic groups who comprised
the greater Ottoman Empire. Costume is an enduring interest, beginning with James
Robertson's rare hand-colored portraits of women and occupations. The "dame turque" is a
prevalent theme. While the occupational portraits are often posed, there are also numerous
genre and street scenes that include food and dry goods vendors, and small shops such as
cobbler's stalls. Agricultural scenes and grain markets as well as the tobacco industry
represent rural Turkey. While a great many of the people portrayed in the collection are
identified by "type" or ethnicity rather than name, the collection does contain a good
number of portraits of sultans, and named pashas, military leaders, dignitaries and the
middle and upper class patrons of the numerous portrait studios found in the cities.
Beginning in the late nineteenth century there is an increased representation of historical
events that continues into the early twentieth century. These range from state visits and
ceremonies, to the opening of railways, and to events related to World War I such as the
Battle of Gallipoli and the Caucasus Campaign, the occupation of Turkey by allied troops
after the war, and the formation of the Republic of Turkey.
Over 165 known photographers, studios and publishers are represented in the collection, and
the work of dozens of unknown photographers is also included. While a great many of the
photographers are of European origin, prominent photographers of eastern origin include the
ethnic Armenian Abdullah brothers, Pascal Sébah of Armenian and Syrian descent, and Ali Sami
Aközer, grandson of Halil Kamil Pasha. Such photographers created images for both foreign
and Ottoman consumption, including the sultans themselves. Studios bearing Greek and
Armenian surnames are heavily represented among the cartes-de-visites, cabinet cards and
other portraits in the collection. Among the other photographers included in the collection
are: Nikolia Andreomenos; Apollon; Hippolyte Arnoux; Guillaume Berggren; Félix Bonfils;
Ernest de Caranza; Jules Delbet; Roger Fenton; Claude-Marie Ferrier; Frank Mason Good;
Gülmez Frères; V. Hissarlian; M. Iranian; Vassilaki (Basil/Basile) Kargoppoulo; Pow Kee;
Gustave Le Gray; G. Lekegian; Alfred de Moustier; Félix Nadar; Christian Paier; Phébus
Studio (Bogos Tarkulyan); James Robertson working alone or with his partner and
brother-in-law Felice Beato; Alphonse Rubellin and Rubellin et Fils; Adolphe Saum; Sébah
& Joaillier (successors to Pascal Sébah); Alex Svoboda; and Pierre Trémaux. Click here for a complete list of known photographers.
The collection includes photographic prints made in the most popular nineteenth-and early
twentieth-century photographic media, as well as in a number of rare and early techniques.
Photographic processes present in the collection include calotype, salted paper, albumen,
collodion, and gelatin silver prints; photochroms, autochromes, collotypes, tintypes, and
opaltypes. Also included are early poitevin prints (lithographs after photographs).
The photographs are found in various sizes and formats including loose and mounted prints,
some from disbound albums; card-mounted photographs of various sizes including
cartes-de-visite, cabinet cards and boudoir cards; stereographs; glass plate negatives;
lantern slides; photomechanical and real photo postcards; and panoramas. There are
sixty-four photograph albums in the collection.
Throughout the collection titles for individual photographs are taken from the negative,
unless otherwise stated. Titles devised by the catalogers are in brackets. Titles that
contain abbreviations or misspellings appear in their entirety or corrected form in the item
level scope and contents note.
Arrangement note
The collection is arranged in 10 series:
Series I. Large format albums, 1852-1920;
Series II. Albums of
various formats, 1870-1935;
Series III. Photographs on loose mounts, ca. 1850-1930,
undated;
Series
IV. Panoramas, 1854-1919;
Series V. Card mounted photographs, 1851-1909;
Series VI. Tintypes, glass
formats and printing blocks, 1890-1900, undated;
Series VII. Lantern slides and glass plate
negatives, 1850-1910;
Series VIII. Stereographs, 1850-1910, undated;
Series IX.
Photojournalism and press photographs, 1904-1958, undated;
Series X. Documentation, 1850-1955,
undated.
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