Rare color photographs of the Russian Empire at the beginning of the XX century

The cycle of color photographs captured in the distant 1911. Where one hundred years ago, took a color? How was it done? Indeed, until recently, 50-60 years ago, color photo, it was not that exotic, but extremely rare.

Talented chemist, a keen photographer, a graduate of the St. Petersburg technological Institute, Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky in 1906 published a number of articles devoted to the principles of color photography. During this period, he perfected a new method of providing the same civitacastellana the entire spectrum that could do color images, suitable for projection. Then he develops and his method of transmission of color images based on the separation of colors into three parts. He made the objects three times through three filters: red, green, and blue. It turned out three black-and-white positive plate.

To play back the image he used the three slide projector with blue, red and green. All three images with three plates was projected on the screen at the same time, causing the audience had the opportunity to see full-color images. Being by 1909, already a well known photographer and editor of the magazine "Amateur Photographer" Sergei Mikhailovich had the opportunity to realize his dream — to make a photo chronicle of the Russian Empire.

On the recommendation of the Grand Duke Mikhail, he outlines his plan to Nicholas II and received enthusiastic support. Over the next few years, the government allocated Prokudin-Gorsky a specially equipped railroad car for trips with the purpose of the photographic documentation of life in the Empire.

During the time this work was created with several thousand plates. Technology for the conclusion of a color image on the screen.

And most importantly — a gallery of beautiful photographs of unprecedented quality and quantity. And for the first time this series of photographs were laid out on color. Then only for the purpose of withdrawal by projecting on the screen.

Unusual and fate of these photographic plates. Prokudin-Gorsky was able after the death of Nicholas II to go first in Scandinavia, then in Paris, taking with him almost all the results of years of work — glass plates 20 boxes.

In the 1920s the years, Prokudin-Gorsky lived in nice, and the local Russian community received a precious opportunity of viewing his paintings in the form of color slides. Sergei Mikhailovich was proud that his work helped the young Russian generation on foreign soil to understand and remember, looked like their lost homeland — in its most real form, preserving not only the color but also her spirit.

Collection plates survived, and multiple crossings of the family Prokudin-Gorsky, and the German occupation of Paris.

In the late 40‑ies in the United States, the question arose about the publication of the first volume of "the history of Russian art", edited by Igor Grabar. And on the supply of his color illustrations. And then I remembered the translator of this work, Duchess Maria Putyatin, that at the beginning of the century, her father-in-law, Prince Putyatin, presented to Tsar Nicholas II of a Professor Prokudin-Gorsky, who had developed a method of color photography by color separation. According to her, the sons of Professor lived exiles in Paris and were the custodians of the collection of his photos.

In 1948, the representative of the Rockefeller Foundation Marshall acquired from Prokudin-Gorsky's about 1,600 photographic plates for the amount of $ 5,000. Since the plate for many years was kept in the Library of Congress.

Only recently someone came up with the idea to try to scan and combine trachelostenidae photographs of Prokudin-Gorsky on the computer. Happened almost a miracle seemed lost forever images come to life.