Turkey’s first photographic museum opens its doors

How about taking a brief journey back in time? An art form that can be enjoyed by almost anyone, photography is just 170 years old.

Finding the natural link between sight and light can be traced back to the attempts of Islamic scholars. Alhazen once observed and captured a solar eclipse with a "camera obscura," turning the first pages of the history of photography.

Six months after its invention, photography was introduced to the Ottoman Empire. Photographs from the Ottoman Empire range from depictions of workshops and palaces to images from the front lines of battle. With their achievements, people such as Rabah, the Abdullah brothers, Sebah Jeuviers, Andre Menos, Kargopulos, and Rahmizade Bahaddin Bey took their place in history as the artists of their time.

After the first studios were opened, photography made its way to the sphere of the press. Over time, photography played a role in the advancement of printing, and it eventually became an integral part of daily life. The "Star Collection," commissioned by Sultan Albülhamid II, is still one of the most prominent photography collections in the world. Inaugurated last Saturday, the İstanbul Photography Museum offers anyone the chance to observe photography's evolution from its earliest beginnings up until the present time 

Source: Todays Zaman

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