Figure 1.--Most cabinet cards were produced in the late-19th and early-20th century. In most countries we do not see many cabinet cards after the 1920s. This Soviet cabinet card was taken in 1971, but the mount looks like the styles common in the early-20th century.

Tarist Russia was very backward in the 19th century. Photography developed in Western Europe and was quickly picked up in America. It was slower to spread in Russia. We have no information on Dag and Ambro studios. We do see CDVs and cabinet cards, mostly cabinet cards. A lot of the studios that opened appear to be foreign photographers who opened up studios in major Russian cities. Many of the studios appear to be opened by Germans. A factor here was the substantial German population in the Baltic prvinces. They were not foreigners, but had strong contats with Germany where photography flourished. We continue to see cabinet cards after the turn-of-the 20th century. After the Revolutin (1917), private businesses were nationalized. This included shops, meaning small business like photographic studios. We are not sure just how all this affected Russian photogrhy. We espect many of the Germans operating studios left Russia. Some may have been arrested as enemy aliens during the War. The decline of living standards in oviet Russia maeans that family photography was limited. We do not see many snapshots. This did not change much until after World War II in the 1950s. We do not know much about the type of portaits produced by studio. We do note that even in the 1970s we see cabinet cards. In the West cabinet cards were not very common after the 1920s.

Tsarist Era ( -1917)

Tarist Russia was very backward in the 19th century. Photography developed in Western Europe and the fuirst commercial process, the Daguerrotype appeared in France 1839). Pgotography was quickly picked up in America. It was slower to spread in Russia. We have no information on Dag and Ambro studios in Russia. They must have opened, but we have mo information on them. We do see CDVs and cabinet cards, mostly cabinet cards. We do not have a lot of examples archivedm abd tge earliesr ones are 1870s cabinet cards. They look like Wesern ncabinet cards, except thatvfor some reason the often say "Cabinet Vard". We see trgar a lot in Eastern Europe. A lot of the studios that opened appear to be foreign photographers who opened up studios in major Russian cities. Many of the studios appear to be opened by Germans. A factor here was the substantial German population in the Baltic prvinces. They were not foreigners, but had strong contats with Germany where photography flourished. Russians played no role in the development of photography. Intertestungly, a Rissian expeimter developed a bneautiful color process--Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii. It was not adopted by ant Russiab studios. The proicess was too complicated to be of commercial importance, but produced beautiful color porints. We continue to see Ryussian cabinet cards after the turn-of-the 20th century nit only into the World War I era, but well beyond it.

Soviet Era (1917-91)

After the Revolutin (1917), and the victory of the Bolsheviks in the Civil War, private businesses were nationalized. This included shops, meaning small business like photographic studios. We are not sure just how all this affected Russian photogrhy. We espect many of the Germans operating studios left Russia. Some may have been arrested as enemy aliens during the War. The decline of living standards in Soviet Russia maeans that family photography was limited. We do not see many snapshots. Most Russians could not afford a camera of thir own and the expenses of filn and developing. State oened photographic studios operated, but the studio sets seem very basic. This did not change much until after World War II in the 1950s. We do not know much about the type of portaits produced by studio. We do note that even in the 1970s we see cabinet cards. In the West cabinet cards were not very common after the 1920s. For such a karge vcountry, the number of studio portraits and family snapshots is relatively small. This changed somewhat after World War II, but the size of the phogra[hic record is snall comaored to Rurope, a relection of the Soviet economy and the limited consumer sector.

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Last updated: 9:13 AM 3/21/2019
Created: 1:03 AM 3/19/2020