Photographic Theater Documentation in Poland

Jerzy Got

Abstract

This article is concerned with the history of photographic documentation in Polish theater, with a particular focus on the 19th and early 20th centuries. The author begins by discussing the oldest Polish theater photograph: a daguerreotype dated 1840–1850, showing the actress Leontyna Żuczkowska-Halpertowa in costume. He then discusses the development of theater photography in relation to photographic techniques. He analyzes the development of studio photography (individual portraits of actors – private and in costume, group scenes) and stage photography (since the late 19th century). The photographers mentioned in the article, whose ateliers produced the most important pictures for the history of Polish theater, include Karol Beyer, Konrad Brandel, Jan Mieczkowski, Maurycy Pusch, Aleksander Karoli, Edward Troczewski, and Walery Rzewuski. The author describes the style of Polish 19th-century photographers and emphasizes the quality of their works, confirmed by awards in international competitions. He also discusses the ways in which 19th-century photographs have been used as documents. The article contains ample iconographic material.