Long-gone Russian Empire: Small towns in colorful archive photos

In 1901, Prokudin-Gorsky established a photography studio and laboratory in Saint Petersburg. Throughout the years, Prokudin-Gorsky's photographic work, publications and slide shows to other scientists and photographers in Russia, Germany and France earned him praise. / View of Volga river and Zytsov city.

The Tsar Nicholas II enjoyed the color photos, and, with his blessing, Prokudin-Gorsky got the permission and funding to document Russia in color. / Dormition Cathedral, Smolensk.

Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky was a Russian chemist and photographer. He is best known for his pioneering work in color photography. In 1890 Prokudin-Gorsky joined Russia's photography section of the Imperial Russian Technical Society. / Avraamiev Monastery in the city of Smolensk.

In long journeys around the country, carried out from 1905-1909, Prokudin-Gorsky captured on film the patriarchal Russian life. / Nikolskye gates in the city of Smolensk.

Thanks to him, we have unique colour portraits of Tolstoy, Chekhov and Shalyapin, his pictures of young Russian peasants, the Emir of Bukhara, sailors from the steamship “Sheksna”, factory workers are widely known. / Nilov Monastery situated on a Stolobny Island in the Tver Oblast of Russia.

Upon leaving the country, about half of his photos were confiscated by Russian authorities for containing material that seemed to be strategically sensitive for war-time Russia. / Torzhok city.

As a result of unique technology, the images have survived in modern standards of quality and original, wonderfully saturated colours. / Bogomaterinskaya church.

After the October Revolution, Prokudin-Gorsky was appointed to a new professorship under the new regime, but he left Soviet Russia in August 1918. / View of Tver and Volga river.

His ultimate goal was to educate the schoolchildren of Russia with his "optical color projections" of the vast history, culture, and modernization of the Empire. / View of city of Staritsa.

Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky finally settled in Paris in 1922. He died on September 27, 1944 at the age of 81. / View on Borisoglebsky Monastery, Torzhok.