Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii (1863–1944) was a famous pioneer in the art of photography during the early 20th century in Russia. Using his background in chemistry, he was able to give color to images that were initially black and white by utilizing a special technique that he coined himself. He begun his career in photography in 1905, however the majority of the pictures he took are dated between 1908 and 1915. This was made possible through the support by Tsar Nicholas II and the Ministry of Transportation.
The image above was taken in the small town of Topornia which is located on the banks of Silvers Lake. This image features a young, Russian girl that is garbed in traditional clothing wore by peasants at the time this photograph was taken. She is showcasing a plate of wild strawberries that she had collected herself. This image was one in a series conducted by Sergei Prokudin-Gorskii that sought to reveal the lives of the ‘common folk’. In his overarching goal of exploring the Russian Empire as a whole, he wanted to interact with the citizenry and gain a grasp of their livelihoods. If you look closely at this image, it is apparent that the town of Topornia is suffering economically due to the collapsing buildings in the background. Keeping this in mind, the girl herself seems to be well kept and fed – this suggests that she and her family may not be experiencing such hardships as the rest of the town.
After taking a look at this image, several questions arise. What was happening economically during this time period? What was this girl, and her family, doing to avoid such an economic disaster? How long and to what extent did this affect the rest of the Russian Empire? Did Sergei Prokudin-Gorskii capture any more pictures of this economic upheaval and its effects on the peasantry? All of these questions still inquire further research.
Sources:
https://www.wdl.org/en/item/4934/#q=Prokudin-Gorskii+girl&qla=en
