Photography in the Ottoman Empire 1839-1923 provides an account of the history of photography in the Ottoman Empire between the years 1839-1923, an important though neglected field in the history of an early…
Photography in the Ottoman Empire 1839-1923 provides an account of the history of photography in the Ottoman Empire between the years 1839-1923, an important though neglected field in the history of an early photography. The sultans of the Ottoman Empire traditionally shaped the arts of their day, and their enthusiastic reaction to the discovery of photography was to be crucial in the development of photography in the Empire. Many nation states were created in the former Ottoman territories in Europe, Asia and Africa. I have not included the individual photographic histories of these countries but endeavoured to focus primarily on photography within the present boundaries of the Republic of Turkey. A list of photographers who worked in the Ottoman Empire has been provided to assist all those who are interested in the history of photography in Turkey and the Middle East. The names of photographers that I have come across in documents written in Ottoman Turkish script have been given as spelt. The first two editions treated the story of photography in the Ottoman Empire from the announcement of its discovery in 1839 up to 1919, but this new edition has been extended up to the year 1923 when the Turkish Republic was founded. Researching the history of photography is an unending task requiring a lifetime’s dedication.”
