Middle East—Hughes Krafft | Album of photographs of Russian Turkestan, 1902

Middle East—Hugues Krafft

A Travers le Turkestan Russe. Album of 73 photographs of contemporary Russian Turkestan. 1902

4to (330 x 243mm.), INSCRIBED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHER ON THE TITLE, frontispiece portrait of Hugues Krafft, 73 printed photographs (167 x 120mm.), printed on card on recto, captions describing the photographs printed on tissue interleaves, green cloth with gilt decoration, spine gilt, edges uncut, minor foxing, corner slightly bumped

A finely bound album inscribed by the photographer and containing a variety of photographs of Russian Turkestan, taken by Hugues Krafft in 1902. Krafft (1853–1935) was known for pioneering instantaneous photography, giving A Travers le Turkestan Russe a sense of immediacy. An additional leaf in the album records that this work won the 'Médaille d'Or du Prix Léon Dewez de la Société de Géographie de Paris'.

The photographs depict a variety of subjects, including individual portraits, monuments and landscapes, comprising: 'Nouvelles Villes Russes'; 'Vieilles Villes Indigènes'; 'Grands Monuments de Samarkand'; 'Campagne et Paysages'; 'Habitations et Mœurs'; and 'Types et Costumes'.