A photograph from the 19th century. A unique studio operates in Vitebsk, where retro photos are taken.

The correspondent of "Zvyazda" literally traveled back in time for a day, becoming a photographer using pre-revolutionary technology. The miracle happened in the pictorial photography studio in Vitebsk.

Creative "Hive"

Photographers Katerina Grinevskaya and Vladislav Andreev were found during repairs: they were preparing for the opening of the pictorial (fine art) photography studio "Argentum". It is located on the ground floor of a pre-revolutionary building at 7 Tolstoy Street, within the walls of the Vitebsk Center for Modern Art branch. Here, under one roof, artists present their projects. Vitebsk intellectuals have already compared this unique place to the famous Parisian "Hive", where Chagall and others worked.

While Katerina was painting the wallpaper with black paint, and her partner was helping her, I asked for permission to take pictures. Where else would there be such an opportunity to take photos like masters in the century before last? I persuaded them! But first, the studio owners told us about what they would surprise the townspeople and visitors with.

- Believe me, there are few analogues in the whole world. We managed to restore the traditional techniques and technologies of fine art classical photography of the mid-19th - early 20th centuries. I am confident that the results of our research will be of interest not only to professional photographers but also to historians and art critics, - says Katerina.

Thanks to the restored silver bromide printing technology, photographs can be stored for a very long time, for hundreds of years! It's hard to believe, but it's a fact. Photos taken in the century before last, as well as silver bromide plates, have survived to this day in good condition.

- By the way, Vitebsk once became known throughout the world thanks to the photographer, the inventor of the focal-plane shutter, Sigismund Yurkovsky. And his photo studio was one of the most popular in the city.

Imagine: to take a photo, the person being photographed had to wait, according to our calculations, up to several tens of minutes. And the master spent hours, days, or more to produce the photo. If necessary, he invited the "model" again to retake the photo. But experienced masters worked without such mistakes...

How much did a photograph cost? If a worker's salary before the revolution was 17 rubles a month, then one photograph cost 3 rubles! - Kaciaryna continues.

During the excursion, visitors will be told about Jurkowski, as well as the inventor-photographer Siarhiej Michajłovič Prokudin-Horski, a pioneer of color photography in Russia. They will also be shown how photos were taken in the past.

- In the early 20th century, Prokudin-Gorski photographed the cities of the Russian Empire. The project was personally supported by Nicholas II. And during the preparation for the celebration of the centenary of the victory in the war of 1812, he photographed places significant for the war. In particular, in 1912, he photographed Vitebsk. The originals of the photos are in the Library of Congress of the USA. How much time has passed, but they look as if they were taken yesterday. And this is all due to the advanced technology used at that time, - says Uładzisłaŭ Andrejeŭ.

Eggs for Photos

The interlocutor explained the secrets of the craft in detail and accessibly. In addition to the technology mentioned above, they mastered two more. It is interesting that when using the latter, eggs are used to make reagents.

- I think the names of the technologies will mean nothing to people who are not interested in the history of photography. Where do we get the "chemistry"? Sometimes people give away the same components for reagents because they are not needed in the era of digital photography. We buy fixers in Moscow... Of course, there is more left from Soviet times there.

In principle, the "chemistry" has not changed much since the time of the first photographers, so reagents from the 1960s-1970s can be considered "classic". But I emphasize that the glass plates and paper are the result of our work... We print and photograph ourselves.

And in fact, there are only a few workshops like ours in the whole world. Many thanks to the head of the Vitebsk Center for Modern Art, Andrej Duchounikau, for providing us with the premises, - the photographer continues.

Uladzislau showed me the studio. In one room, where people will be photographed, an atmosphere of the pre-revolutionary era has been created. Immediately, a camera with a "bellows" caught my eye. True, it turned out to be made in the 1970s, but it looks very rare. On the table is a samovar. On the walls are photos taken in our time, but using the technology of the past.

By the way, Katsiaryna and Uladzislau have an idea to create a gallery of portraits of townspeople: famous and not so much. (They also promised a place for a photo of the "Zvyazda" journalist in the image of Pushkin. Let me remind you that the poet passed through Vitebsk twice). They plan to hold a large-scale presentation during the "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" festival. They want guests to be met by people in pre-revolutionary costumes. I am sure that an interesting idea will be supported by the theater, which can help with costumes, and by the music college – so that children can play in the studio.

"The little bird is about to fly out"

I approached the camera as if it were some kind of fairy-tale bird. From the side, perhaps, my surprise on my face could be compared to the first reaction of a representative of an African tribe to a watch. Frankly, I was confused. In particular, I couldn't adjust the camera to see Katsiaryna through the glass plate.

- No, Mr. Pukshanski, you shouldn't look there. Step away from the plate! Turn this. Not so sharply! – the photographer taught me.

The masters joked, because in Katsiaryna's scarf (as a "cape" that the photographer covers her head and part of the camera with), I looked like an Arab.

But I wasn't in the mood for jokes. The test was just beginning. We went outside, and I wanted to photograph the church. I got confused again when Uladzislau entrusted me, as an "experienced photographer," to insert the plate into the camera. Under the guidance of patient photographers, I managed! Then they explained how to take a photo correctly on the street.

Developing the plate and printing the photo turned out to be even harder than taking the picture…

The creativity of the photographers of the "Argentum" workshop has already been appreciated by leading art critics. Exhibitions could be seen at the "Ў" Gallery of Contemporary Art in Minsk, and at the largest Moscow Center for Contemporary Art "Vinzavod".

When walking along Tolstoy Street, be sure to visit the "Argentum" salon. You will have lasting impressions, and your photos will be preserved for centuries. No exaggeration.

Alexander Pukshansky, "Zviazda"