The growing collection of ROSPHOTO State Museum and Exhibition Centre to its great part consists of late XIX – early XX century photography. This archive reflectы the main trends in the world and Russian art photography, development of photographic technology and equipment of the dawn of XX century. The current exhibition of Pyotr Pavlov’s photographs Views of Old Moscow, follows within the tradition of introducing to the audience the new acquisitions to the collection of ROSPHOTO.

The intensive development of biggest Russian cities, especially its two capitols, in the early XX century, changed their architectural landscape. In order to preserve the image of the old Moscow, the Imperial Moscow Archaeological Society (IMAO) engaged actively in evaluation, research and restoration of the cultural and historical monuments, as well as invited well-known photographers for collaboration. Among photographers employed by the Society over a number of years were I. F. Barshevsky, A. A. Ivanov-Terentyev, N. N. Ushakov, P. V.Orlov, I. N. Alexandrov, A. A. Gubarev, K. A. Fisher. P. P. Pavlov (1860–1924) holds a specific place among Moscow photographers.

Pyotr Petrovich Pavlov was born into a peasant family in Feodorovskaya village of Petrozavodsk region, Olonetsk government. In 1881 he arrived to Moscow from St.Petersburg. He found a job in a well known photography company Scherer, Nabholz and Co. that at the time belonged to A.May and M.Schindler, and worked there for 10 years. In 1891 Pavlov opened his own studio where he was mostly engaged in portrait and group photogrpahy. In 1898, by commission of the IMAO's Old Moscow board he took images of historical places and architectural monuments. Pavlov's camera preserved for the coming generations the archaeological and restoration works in the Kremlin, the opening of the monument to Alexander II, festivities at the walls of Novodevichiy Monastery, as well as most known architectural constructions in the city center.

The photographs of Moscow's architectural monuments are especially valuable for the contemporary viewer: the views of the now lost Sukharevskaya Tower and the Kremlin embankment skyline, Triumph Gate (moved away from its original place in the 1930ies), Iverskaya Chapel and the Cathedral of Christ Our Savior (reconstructed in 1990-2000). Many of Pavlov's photographs were very popular and adorned the 1900–1910s' Moscow cityguides.

Venue: House of Cinema