We dearly invite you to see Cracow "remembered" by camera, that fabulous 19th century invention which helped to fullfill immemorial dream of stopping and fixing time. Significance of the invention was valued by secretary of French Academy of Sciences, Dominic Arago. He referred about that event on especially called meeting. It was on 19th August 1839 and the scientist was attended upon an inventor Louis Mande Daguerre. He demonstrated a silver-coated plate with a picture fixed on it, which later on was called daguerrotype after his name. A word photography, that came in use later, was first used by an English scientist, John Frederich Herschel, in 1839 and precise translation from Greek means: drawing by light.
Difficult technique of daguerrotype, even though that expensive and giving only one positive picture, soon became popular in Europe.
Citizens of Cracow heard about the invention as soon as in September 1839 from a notice in "Gazeta Krakowska" (Cracow's Newspaper). The beginnings of daguerrotypes in our town are connected with amateurs from Cracow Academy. Soon lots of wandering daguerrotypists appeared, who came especially on summer season or at times of fairs.
New, fundamental stage in development of photography started in 1851, when a new, negative-positive, technique was invented. It allowed to make any number of prints on paper basis. Growing demand for photographs (portraits and landscapes) caused an appearance of permanent photographic ateliers. In the 60'of 19th century three ateliers were built. These were the most important of the time; of Walery Rzewuski, Ignacy Krieger and Awit Szubert. They worked intensively what resulted in prosperity and appreciation. Cracow photographers took also part in domestic and foregin exhibitions; both as exhibitiors and jurors.
People nowadays can hardly imagine times when a photograph was something unusual. That is the result of an art., which is not much older than 160 years. It is now present in almost all aspects of our life and one can find it in every house. Maybe that is the reason that we treat old family albums as rubbish, not worth keeping.
Those small or a bit bigger cardboards with pictures of people, for preceding generation used to be reminders, objects of pride and an evidence of wealth. For descendants they haven't any, even emotional, value. Faded or yellowed pictures of people that you can't recognize any more lay at the bottom of the drawers or are sticked somewhere in flats and after years they become an obstacle. Eventually, after a redecoration, a removal or even simple arrangements, they cast in one's lot with other things and scraps, they land in dustbins or get damaged in other inrreversible way....that is what Jerzy Koziński wrote in his book from 1978 "Cracow photography 1840-1914".
In the Historical Museum of the City of Cracow we try to protect those pictures from oblivion or annihilation. We collect all photographs that refer to our town, its inhabitants and works of Cracow's photographers. All those are the valuable materials documenting life in Cracow and also are inreplaceble iconographical source. That is why we ask and appeal: Do not throw old photographs away!! Maybe brought to our museum they can become valuable document of the passed epoques for future generations.
authors:
Ewa Gaczoł
Aleksandra Jaklińska - Duda
translation:
Marta Kozłowska - Sobczyk
