Photography and Russia

This course provides a historical overview of photography in Russia, set against the context of the stormy political and social developments that have shaken its society and culture since the 19th century. Approaching the evolution of photography in Russia in relation to technology, art, and the development of mass culture, the photographic image is considered in a range of contexts, including documentation, art, journalism, propaganda, and the private life of individuals.

The course follows a chronological structure, but one that makes connections across historical periods. With the emancipation of the serfs (1861), the collapse of the Romanov Dynasty (February 1917), the Bolshevik Revolution (October 1917), the “Great Patriotic War” (World War 2), and the dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991), Russian culture is often examined in terms of rupture. While considering the impact that these events had upon the development of photography, we also take care to trace continuities across time. Specific themes run throughout the course, linking photography with distinctive aspects of Russian culture and society.