The Tsar’s Photographer

Prokudin-Gorsky

(1863-1944)


Prokudin-Gorsky is again, as a result of the digital technology,

present as a precursor to the RGB technique (the primary colors

red, green and blue are mixed to create all other colors).

More than 100 years ago, he used a camera that took

three pictures in rapid succession. The first picture with a

red filter, the second green and the third blue.

The result was a glass negative that was copied to a slide,

which could be shown with a projector.

The basic understanding of how color photographs

are constructed fell into obscurity for several decades – until

George Eastman's Kodak became leading in the processing of color films.

With the digital image, we have regained insight of the

basic importance of the primary colors.

Prokudin-Gorsky was not only a technological pioneer, he was

also an excellent photographer, with the aim of documenting Tsarist

Russia and with the support of Tsar Nicholas II.

He reached to document 11 regions before the work was interrupted

by the revolution. Prokudin-Gorsky left Russia in 1918 and came via

Norway to Paris in 1922, where he died in 1944.

His unique images of Russia before the revolution were bought by L

ibrary of Congress Washington, DC.

The expo at STUDIO L2 has been made possible due to collaboration

with Håkan Holmberg and Crimson.


4 February - 25 February


Tuesday - Friday 12 – 17   Saturday 12 - 16

                                                                               Swedish