Karl Bulla Museum-Photo Salon

June 5th, 2015, 02:11 am

If you turn from Nevsky Prospekt to Malaya Sadovaya Street, you can see a monument to a Petersburg photographer. It was installed in 2001 and represents a 2.5-meter bronze figure of a photographer who is preparing to shoot. They are photographed according to a sign - taking a photographer under right hand... For financial well-being, the photographer is “put up” for the little finger.

This sculpture appeared in this place for a reason. It is here, at the addressNevsky prospect 54 , from the beginning of the twentieth century to the 1930s there was a photo studio of the famous dynasty of photo masters Bull ... Their works immortalized famous politicians, scientists and artists, the most important eventsRussian history , masterpiecesPetersburg architecture .

Photo studio named after Karl Bulla is active. But this is not just a photo studio, it is a museum, a fund of historical photography. We go up the stairs to the fourth floor.

A photo studio on the site of the current Foundation was created in the 1850s, exact date unknown, it is only established that it was before 1858 year (according to the information on the back of the surviving photograph). Its first owner is Karl Ludwigovich Kulish. Initially, the photo studio had a long name - Photo of Kulish in St. Petersburg on Nevsky Prospekt against Alexandria Theater in Demidov's house number 55. Demidov is the owner of the whole house, a merchant, and number 55 - because it was before the renumbering of houses 1858 year ... Only a few small-format photographs of this master have survived. V 1866 year the owner changed - the studio was acquired by the Italian photographer Ivan (Giovanni) Bianchi. He is one of the first to photograph the city, works in the genre of photo reportage. Subsequently, starting with 1872 year , the photo studio has repeatedly changed owners. In 1882-1883, the building in which the studio was located was rebuilt according to the project Pavel Suzor ... Approximately at 1906 — 1908 years (exact date unknown) the owner of the photo studio becomesKarl Karlovich Bulla , his sons Victor and Alexander helped him.

Now there is calmness and grace, a pleasant atmosphere of the art of photography, intertwined with history and modernity at the same time. The Karl Bulla Photographic Museum is furnished with stylized furnishings, complemented by flowers and trees. The main decoration is the works of Karl Bulla, in addition, no less interesting temporary exhibitions are periodically held here.

From the salon you can go to observation deck, which overlooks Nevsky Prospect.

Vnuzu Gostiny Dvor.

And Sadovaya street. By the way, please note that trams do not run here anymore, but the rails and contact network have been preserved. There is a reason for this, which I will talk about a little later.

The National Library of Russia is a unique place. Its richest funds of books, newspapers and magazines put it in second place in the world.

View of the Yekaterinensky Garden.

And drama theater.

Petersburg roofs.

But, we return again to the museum.

During the reconstruction, the glass dome of the building was restored. The fourth floor offers a stunning view of the city, against which visitors love to take pictures.

Karl Karlovich Bulla was born into a German family in the Prussian town of Leobschütz, but he worked almost exclusively in St. Petersburg. In 1875 he opened his own photography studio, which at the beginning of the 20th century was located in the building of the Passage on Nevsky.
Back in 1886, he received from the Ministry of Internal Affairs "permission for the right to carry out all kinds of photographic work outside the home, such as: on the streets, apartments and in the vicinity of St. Petersburg" which allowed him many years later in 1894 to establish printing production of postcards in standard of the Universal Postal Union.
Since 1897, Karl Bulla's photographs have been published in the popular and popular magazine "Niva". From that time on, his name became known throughout the Russian Empire.
After 1916, Karl Bulla handed over his photography business to his sons - Alexander and Victor, and he himself settled on the island of Ezel. He also died there in 1929.

The famous dynasty was not spared by severe social upheavals: in 1928, Alexander Bulla was arrested and sent into exile, and in 1938, as a German spy, on the denunciation of his “colleague” in the photo studio, Victor Bulla was sentenced to death.

The NKVD officers confiscated the result of their creative work from the Bulla family - negatives accumulated over decades hard work... Some of the negatives were barbarously destroyed during the search, the remaining negatives were seized in currently form the basis of the collection State fund film and photo documents (more than 130,000 storage units!).

More detailed information about the salon can be found on its official website: http://www.bullafond.ru/12.html.

In 2002, on the initiative and at the expense of the new owner of the premises, Valentin Evgenievich Elbek, the 300th anniversary of St. large-scale reconstruction, which made it possible to preserve the memorial premises of the Karl Bulla photo salon for the city. A full-scale restoration of the filming pavilions, in which Karl Bulla and his sons worked, was carried out.

If you happen to be on Nevsky 54, be sure to take a look here. The entrance to the museum is paid, but it is worth visiting even for the stunning view from the observation deck to the center of St. Petersburg.

Photo studio them. Karl Bulla is one of the "hidden" sights of St. Petersburg. This chamber museum, whose second name is the Karl Bulla Foundation for Historical Photography, is located in the heart of Northern capital, but not everyone knows about its existence. Various establishments and institutions are located in the same building with the museum, in addition, there is a unique observation terrace from which you can appreciate all the beauty of the city. Those wishing to visit the Karl Bulla Museum in St. Petersburg and find out its history will find all the necessary information in the article.

The history of the photo studio

Karl Bulla's photo studio is the oldest studio in the entire territory of Russia. Its history began in the distant 50s of the XIX century - in fact, then debut photographs began to appear in Russia.

The first owner of the photo studio was Karl Kulish. Now it is impossible to reliably establish in what year he gave birth to his brainchild on Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg. Presumably, this happened before 1858. Over the next several decades, the salon changed several owners, until approximately in 1906-1908 Karl Karlovich Bulla, who was then at the peak of fame and popularity, became its owner. The master's family also began to live in the acquired house.

The revolution did not finally "kill" the photo studio - it continued to live, but already in the status of a state institution. As the biography of Karl Bulla testifies, he hastily emigrated from the country in 1917, and his sons tried to continue the business. Alas, they failed to support their father's initiative, but only for the reason that one of the children was sent into exile, and the other was executed. Despite all the obstacles, the photo studio continued its work even during the brutal years of the siege.

What is famous for the building on Nevsky, 54

The building in which the photo studio them. Bulla, also became famous as the house of the Demidovs. Its history began in the 40s of the 18th century. Then, on this very piece of land, a building was built, designed by the architect Trezzini. Approximately 10 years later, it was bought out and remade for the famous statesman I.I. Shuvalov. As a result, a real palace complex "grew" around the building.

In 1825, the ownership of the building passed to an industrialist, a representative of the glorious and noble family... 16 years later, the building was expanded by the architect Pel, after which the house became known as the "Demidov Hotel". By the way, it was here in 1843 famous writer Ivan Turgenev met his fatal passion Pauline Viardot.

In the early 80s of the XIX century. the building on Nevsky Prospekt underwent a large-scale restructuring, the project of which was created by the architect Suzor. It was after this that an unremarkable 3-storey house was transformed into a four-storey eclectic building, which is still famous today.

Revival of the photo salon and the beginning of the museum's work

In the 90s. last century, Dr. V. Elbek, on the advice of his son, decided to become the owner of a photo salon on Nevsky, 54. No sooner said than done! Elbek, however, recalls that he got the house in a terrible state and looked more like a chicken coop with flowing roofs, in which, in addition, stairs collapsed. It was unrealistic to breathe in the rooms where the photos were displayed. The whole situation was so miserable and "killed" that Elbek, as he confessed, could not even dream of opening a good photo salon here or holding openings.

The photo studio existed in this form for several more years, remaining profitable business... In the late 90s, Elbeck studied the history of the building in detail, learned all the details of the life and work of the photographer Karl Bulla, and came up with the idea of ​​creating his museum. However, for this it was necessary to carry out the restoration of the salon.

Preparing for the opening of the museum, Elbek began buying original photographs of K. Bulla and his heirs, as well as photographs of other masters who worked in Russia before the revolution.

Elbek collected funds for a large-scale reconstruction by 2002 and immediately launched the process. During the restoration work, one of the main elements of the photo salon was recreated - the glass shade of the photo workshop. In January 2004, Karl Bulla's photo studio was ready to welcome the first visitors in a festive atmosphere.

Sphere of interests of the master

Thanks to the works of K. Bulla, today we have the opportunity to contemplate various photographs of past centuries. For example, Karl Bulla often photographed the interiors of the mansions of tsars and princes, the architecture of churches that were seriously damaged during the Soviet era, as well as the life of people of the past from different strata of society: from aristocracy and scientists to ordinary cabbies and hard workers. His photographs make it possible to imagine the environment in which certain events took place in St. Petersburg, what the houses and signs looked like. ancient city... Contemporaries can visit the legendary Leo Tolstoy and other people from the world of creativity for several hours.

The maestro's camera "caught" and captured life in all its aspects and directions. He did not seek to show only weekdays or only holidays. It is not surprising that today his works are highly valued by specialists in various fields: restorers, historians and even filmmakers.

First impressions when visiting the museum

The Karl Bulla Museum is located at 54 Nevsky Prospekt. It is a quiet and pleasant corner on the 4th floor, which still retains the spirit of aristocracy of old Petersburg. On the way up, you can look with interest at the photographs of various contemporary celebrities that adorn the walls here.

At the beginning of the photo studio itself there is a vestibule in which a self-portrait hangs. famous master- Karl Bulla. He was captured with a handheld camera around his neck, which allowed him to take great photos on ordinary streets. By the way, at that time Bulla's technique was considered extremely "sophisticated". When you arrive directly at the museum, which continues with the Karl Bulla exhibition gallery, do not forget about the terrace with the famous platform, which offers stunning views of the city.

Photographs of the museum

The museum is spread over only a few square meters, but in such a compact space the unique atmosphere of the past is recreated. In particular, there is a piano decorated with candlesticks, and an antique clock with a pendulum hangs on the walls. Some of the frames are originals from the beginning of the last century, others have been printed today from old negatives. Among other photos, it is worth highlighting a large number of photo portraits of Chaliapin.

Here you can also see Bulla's unique pavilion chamber. Even after many years, it is still functional, so it is sometimes used to create a retro style photo. Nearby there is a corner with three photographs, decorated with greenery. The photographs show Karl Bulla himself and his sons.

Photo studio

The room is a well-lit long gallery. Its main part is occupied by non-permanent expositions, because in the salon with a regular frequency openings are held, composed of creations modern masters Photo. K. Bulla's photo workshop is located in a room where the atmosphere of a tropical greenhouse reigns. Above the building is decorated with a glass dome, which can be easily seen from the street. It is said that Bulla greatly appreciated this particular dome, as thanks to it he could work in his workshop without artificial light.

We add that the dome, which is displayed in the photo studio today, is not genuine. In 2002-2003, it was restored and restored as a result of long and painstaking work.

Balcony-terrace

This place is especially popular in the building on Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg. Here you will not see old paintings or photographs, but from here you can see modern Petersburg at a glance, which is valuable both for tourists and for many local residents. This panoramic terrace is a Mecca for many photographers and ordinary landscape lovers who come here and admire all the beauties of the city from a bird's eye view.

On the terrace there is a small open balcony decorated with flowers in pots. The area of ​​the site itself - no more than 1 square meter... From here you can see the many sights of the historical city perfectly, and in the distance you can see the domes of the cathedrals.

Exhibitions

The Karl Bulla photo studio on Nevsky Prospekt regularly hosts exhibitions of various thematic directions. The exhibitions change quite often, at least twice a month. It is worth saying a few words about the most famous and topical events.

Photo contest them. K. Bulla "Epochs are visible features"

This photo competition was "born" in 2007. The international level event takes place every two years in various nominations - from sports to nature and city landscapes.

Every photo lover will be able to find a topic to his liking and take part in the exhibition (subject to the appropriate quality of work). Participants of the competition are not only Russian, but also foreign masters of the frame.

"Karl Bulla: a look at the world of Tolstoy"

This event is not organized in the photo studio itself. Bulls, but with his direct participation. It will last until the end of May in Moscow. Its exhibits appeared back in 1908, in the summer. It was then that Karl Bulla arrived at Yasnaya Polyana- the residence of the great writer Leo Tolstoy. Bulla had an assignment from several editorial offices of St. Petersburg at once - to take a series of Tolstoy's photographs.

The great master coped with the task 100 percent. As a result, about a hundred photos were born. Many of them are known to the broad masses, but until recently only specialists in the field of literature and photography were familiar with some of them. As a result, the Moscow Tolstoy Museum decided to correct this omission and organized an exhibition of Karl Bulla's photographs.

Within the framework of the exposition, visitors to the photo salon can see genuine images of Leo Tolstoy, his family and friends, as well as a whole scattering of celebrities of the early 20th century. Perhaps the main rarity was delivered to the capital for the exhibition - K. Bulla's pavilion camera, as well as some unique items from the personal archive and prints of past years with the maestro's works.

Exhibition of pre-revolutionary erotic photography

There is a separate corner in the Karl Bulla Museum, marked with a sign "18+". To get into it, you need to climb the most top floor where there is a cozy and small room. It houses an exposition of pre-revolutionary erotic photography.

Within the framework of this unusual exhibition, visitors can see erotic retrospectives and scenes from private collection the current owners of the photo studio. It should be noted that not all of the shown scenes are innocent.

Despite the fact that the author of these photos is not Karl Bulla, they are very interesting to study. By the way, according to historians, the master himself and his sons were also engaged in erotic filming, photographing naked athletes and athletes with pumped up bodies.

Another plus of this room on Nevsky Prospekt is a gorgeous view from the window. Just for the sake of it, it is worth stopping by at least for a couple of minutes.

Museum location and opening hours

Karl Bulla's photo studio and museum is located in St. Petersburg at the address: Nevsky Prospekt, 54 (landmark - Gostiny Dvor metro station). The institution also has its own official website, which has all the necessary information for those wishing to visit it. True, problems often arise with access to it.

The salon is ready to receive its clients every day from 10 am to 8 pm (Sunday and Monday at the photo studio are weekends). Visitors speak highly of the museum. They note that there is something to see here, even for those who are not keen on photography. In the museum, you can just relax and enjoy the masterpieces of art. Photographers can draw new ideas for themselves.

Cost of visit and services

You can get to the Karl Bulla museum and photo studio for quite reasonable money. Entrance fee is 50 rubles, for students and pensioners (if the relevant documents are available) - 25 rubles. Inside, you can take amateur photography - it will cost 100 rubles. Professional shooting costs several times more - 1000 rubles.

Also in the museum you can buy bright postcards with photographs of Bulla himself (by the piece - 12 rubles, there are sets of 200 and 250 rubles). There is also an atelier where you can rent 19th century outfits for photo shoots. Renting a dress or costume "antique" will cost about 200 rubles. For the work of a professional photographer, you will have to pay 3 thousand rubles (per hour, does not depend on the number of participants).

Today we want to tell you about one of the little-known chamber museums of St. Petersburg. Karl Bulla located in the very center of the city. However, not everyone knows that in this representative building, where numerous shops and institutions are crowded, there is an interesting museum-gallery, as well as a unique terrace from where you can view from above on Nevsky Prospekt!

Review of the Karl Bulla Memorial Photo Salon on Nevsky, 54

Historical Photography Foundation named afterKarl Bulla is located on the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and Malaya Sadovaya Street, a stone's throw from Gostiny Dvor, right next to the famous Eliseevsky. In a word, you cannot imagine a more central place.

To find yourself in a quiet, pleasant corner with the aristocratic atmosphere of old Petersburg, it is enough to go through the door with the signboard "Photo Salon" and, leaving behind the noisy Nevsky Prospect, overcome the pedestrian ascent to the fourth floor.

The way up is brightened up by photographs of various celebrities of our time hung on the walls.

Finally, we are there. To the left is a door with a signboard "Photo Salon".

At first, there will be a small lobby with a new-style, antique-styled decoration and a lot of flowers, which also seem to be specially selected in the spirit Belle Époque.

All kinds of ferns, ficuses, palms and other green spaces abound in the entire salon, which is why you tune in to a blissful, almost resort style. The glass roof only adds to the greenhouse flavor.

Another small staircase - and we find ourselves in the actual memorial corner ( Museum), continuing with an exhibition gallery and a terrace with an observation deck, where we will go out a little later (sweet - for dessert).

In the memorial corner, which occupies only a few square meters, the atmosphere of antiquity is recreated: there is a piano with candlesticks (from time to time in the salon you can hear live music), on the walls - a clock with a pendulum and numerous photographs taken in this and other salons.

Some of the photographs are original photographs of the early 20th century.

Others have been printed in our time from old negatives.

Among others, numerous photographs of Chaliapin stand out, alone or surrounded by friends and family.

Occasionally, Karl Bulla's trademark monogram can be seen in the lower right corner of brownish photographs.

Here we see a unique pavilion Bull era camera, which is still in working order and is sometimes used to create retro photos in the style of the master.

Next door is a nook, buried in greenery, with three photographs depicting the photographer himself and his two sons (the elder Alexander and the younger Victor). Details about the biography of Karl Bulla and the fate of his sons .

Another old camera of that time is also shown here. These two outlandish cameras, the size of a good organ, are a matter of special pride for the founders of the museum.

It's no secret that Petersburg Germans left a huge mark on the pre-revolutionary history of the city on the Neva. Immigrants from Germany were among the prominent architects, sculptors, engineers, educators, military leaders, bankers and patrons of the arts. Actually, until 1917, the Germans made up the largest percentage of the Petersburg population after the Russians. AND Karla Bull can rightfully be counted among this wonderful stratum. By the way, he was far from her the only immigrant from the German lands who successfully worked in the genre of photography in the capital of St. Petersburg (read more in the article).

The lens of his camera captured life in all its manifestations: ceremonial and everyday. Bulla became a true chronicler of an era - a lost era. It is not surprising that now his photographs are the most valuable material for historians, restorers, artists, filmmakers.

The main part of the light extended gallery of the photo salon is reserved for temporary exhibitions: the salon regularly hosts exhibitions of works by contemporary photographers and photojournalists. In particular, the most interesting International Photo Contest named after Karl Bulla "The Epochs of Visible Features" is held every two years, the purpose of which is to create a "historical photo chronicle of Russia." The last such competition started in May 2015. Final exposition best works based on the results of the competition will open here, on Nevsky, 54, in November 2015.

The doors on the right lead to the current photo studio, housed in an unusually bright room with the atmosphere of a tropical greenhouse. This is the historical Karl Bulla's photo workshop... Towering over the building glass dome clearly visible even from below, from Nevsky Prospekt. Bulla greatly appreciated this light shade as it allowed the photographer to work with natural light.

The current dome is not genuine. It was recreated during the painstaking restoration of the photo studio in 2002-2003.

The modern photo studio continues to provide various services for professional art photography and restoration of old photographs. In particular, here you can take pictures in costumes made in the fashion of the 19th century, as well as order the restoration and printing of old photographs.

Let's return now to the main exhibition gallery. Through the glass doors at the far end, you can get to balcony-terrace overlooking Nevsky Prospect.

For this panoramic terrace this is where most photographers and simply city landscape lovers come to admire the center of St. Petersburg from a bird's eye view.

The terrace is a small open balcony with a metal ladder and indispensable pots of flowers.

Having overcome three thin perch-steps, you find yourself at the very top - a small, less than one square meter, area with an excellent panoramic view at the intersection of Nevsky and Sadovaya: Gostiny Dvor, the building of the City Duma, the Alexandrinsky Theater, the Russian National Library - everything is at a glance. In the distance you can see the domes of the Kazan and St. Isaac's Cathedrals.

The feeling of insecurity is somewhat hampered by enjoying the view: it is difficult to relax, standing at such a decent height, especially under the onslaught of the wind, even if it is completely safe. But the more fearless visitors literally go further: they climb over the fence and illegally descend this very staircase to continue the adventure. Walking on the rooftops is a favorite Petersburg pastime. And why not do it for the sake of good pictures!

Before leaving the museum, it is worth taking a look at the small exposition on the landing.

Especially interesting are the two five-meter panoramas of Nevsky Prospect: before us is an old one, taken by an unknown photographer in 1861 at a long 5-minute exposure (which is why there is not a soul on the streets, only a lone horse), and a modern circular panorama made in 1998 by photojournalist Sergei Kompaniychenko. Both panoramas were filmed from the same point: from the balcony at the base of the spire of the Admiralty tower.

The same principle of comparison formed the basis of the recent exhibition “Petersburg a century later”. In this exhibition, historical photographs of St. Petersburg, taken by Karl Bulla, were side by side with modern photographs taken by Kompaniychenko from the same points. This panorama was also shown at the exhibition. (I thought: if the panoramas were shot today, there would probably be even more cars on the streets).

Below the panoramas is a collection old photos, made at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries in different cities of Russia.

Of course, there are also pictures taken in a photo studio in St. Petersburg, and very different ones (Karl Bulla's studio was far from the only one: then photo salons met almost on every corner, at least in the city center).

From here, another small staircase leads to the upper floor, where a sign with a warning sign "18+" indicates.

In a cozy room under the roof, a permanent exhibition of pre-revolutionary erotic pictures.

Here are shown erotic retro-portraits and scenes (innocent and not so) from the private collection of the current owner of the photo studio.

It's worth looking into this room just for the sake of nice looking from the windows.

The view opens from two windows: on one side you can see the roof of Eliseevsky, on the other - the Alexandrinsky Theater, the Russian National Library, Gostiny Dvor and the roofs of St. Petersburg extending into infinity.

The history of the photo studio on Nevsky Prospekt, 54

The photo studio in the Demidovs' house on Nevsky, 54 is one of the most respectable in St. Petersburg. Moreover, it is the oldest photo studio in Russia... Its history dates back to the mid-1850s, that is, practically from the moment the first photographs appeared in our country.

The first owner of the photo studio was Karl Ludwigovich Kulish, who started out as a daguerreotype on Gorokhovaya Street. In what year he opened an atelier on Nevsky, it is not known exactly, but, most likely, it was before 1858 (before renumbering; then this house was listed as number 55, not 54). In 1866, the studio was acquired by an eminent St. Petersburg photographer - Italian Ivan (Giovanni) Bianchi. Unlike Kulish, Bianchi did not limit himself to the pavilion. portrait shooting: he was almost the first photographer in St. Petersburg who began to go out and take pictures of city views, work in the genre of photo reportage.

In 1872, the photo studio became the property of the merchant of the second guild, Rudolf Fedorovich Beyer, and later the salon was inherited by his son Johann. In the 1880s, Grigory Aleksandrovich Borel became the owner. The location near the studio was the most advantageous: almost in the very center of Nevsky, next to Alexandrinsky Theater and The public library, at a busy trade crossroads, near Gostiny Dvor and Passage. No wonder it was so popular. View of the house in 1872-1882:

In 1882-1883, the building was rebuilt for the merchant A. M. Ushakov according to the project of the famous architect P. Yu. Suzor. In the new building, along with many other establishments, a photographic studio was opened. This time Ivan Pavlovich Chesnokov became the owner (the company was called Borel by the name of the previous owner). House after reconstruction:

Finally, around 1906-1908 (the exact date is not known), a photo studio on Nevsky, 54 acquired Karl Karlovich Bulla- the most famous Petersburg photographer, who was then at the zenith of fame. The master's family also settled in the same building. And the company "Borel" moved to the neighboring house number 56, where it existed until the construction of Eliseevsky (1903). House on Nevsky, 54 in the photograph of Karl Bulla himself:

After the revolution, the photo studio continued to work, but already as state institution... Karl Karlovich emigrated in 1917. The business was continued by his sons, but their fate was tragic. The eldest son, Alexander Bulla, was sent into exile in 1928, and the youngest, Victor Bulla, was shot in 1938 on a false denunciation. The dynasty of photographers was forgotten for decades. However, the atelier continued to work and did not close even during the years of the blockade. In the post-war period, "Photography No. 1" became the center of portrait and family photography. Leningraders lined up to take a memorable photo in Family album, gladly did portrait photos and photographs for the passport.

As you can see, photography on Nevsky 54 has been working for over 150 years.

Details about the life and work of Karl Bulla and his sons can be read in a separate note.

About the house of the Demidovs (Nevsky, 54)

The building that houses the historic photo studio is known as house of the Demidovs.

The first known house on this site was built in the 1740s by the architect Pietro Antonio Trezzini... In the 1750s, it was bought out and rebuilt (presumably according to the project of S.I. Chevakinsky) for a statesman Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov... Around the building a whole palace complex arose, occupying the entire block up to Italianskaya Street.

In the 1770-1790s, the diplomat Count A.A. Bezborodko, the mathematician D. Bernoulli, the publisher I.F.Bogdanovich, Princess E.R.Dashkova, poets and statesmen G.R.Derzhavin and I.I.Dmitriev. Empress Catherine II paid visits.

In 1825, the house was acquired by a representative famous family breeders Demidov- industrialist N.N.Demidov(he himself, however, had lived in Florence since 1815). In 1841, the building was expanded by the architect A. Kh. Pel. The son of Nikolai Nikitich lived here P.N.Demidov- Founder of the Demidov Prize of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, Colonel K. K. Danzas- Lyceum comrade and second A.S. Pushkin. The house contained the furnished rooms of Madame O. Chatillon, and it was called the "Demidov Hotel". In 1843, the hotel hosted the acquaintance of the writer I.S.Turgenev with the singer P. Viardot-Garcia.

From 1878 to the revolution, the house was owned by a merchant of the 1st guild A. M. Ushakov... In 1882-1883, the building was rebuilt according to the project of the famous architect P. Yu. Suzora(among his creations is the "House of Singer", also known as the House of Books, on Nevsky Prospekt).

Instead of a modest three-storey building, the now familiar four-storey building appeared in the forms of mature eclecticism: with rich stucco molding on the facade, two-storey bay windows with bow gables and a spectacularly rounded corner under a small dome.

Profitable house A.M. Ushakov in different times accommodated many famous institutions: a bookstore and A.A. Cherkesov's library (on the basis of which the Central city ​​Library them. V.V. Mayakovsky), V. Bessel's music publishing house, hairdressing salon. In the first third of the XX century, the house worked studio of the photographer K.K.Bulla and his sons.

During blockade of Leningrad and in the post-war period on Nevsky, 54 continued to operate photo studio, and salon.

In 2002, a commemorative plaque was installed on the wall of the corridor at the entrance to the hairdresser's: “ This barbershop worked throughout the blockade. During these years, the work of hairdressers proved: beauty will save the world.". (The barber shop lasted until 2006).

Another plaque can be seen on the facade of the house.

It says that on this corner during the days of the heroic defense of Leningrad 1941-1944 there were loudspeakers, where residents besieged city came to listen to reports of events at the front.

Recreation of the photo studio and the opening of the Karl Bulla Museum

In the 1990s, a St. Petersburg doctor Valentin Evgenievich Elbek decided to buy a photo studio on Nevsky, 54. This idea was proposed to him by his son. However, by that time, the photo studio, according to Elbek himself, was more “ was like a hen house in a dreadful state, with leaking roofs and crumbling stairs. It was impossible to breathe in the rooms where the photographs were developed and printed. Everything was in such desolation that it was difficult even to imagine that someday it would be possible to make a good photo studio here, to create a museum named after Karl Bulla» .

For several years, the photo studio existed in such a neglected form, and it remained a profitable enterprise. Towards the end of the 1990s new owner After studying the history of this place in more detail and learning more about the fate of the famous dynasty of photographers, he was convinced of the need to restore the salon and create here memorable place... Acquisition of genuine photographs gradually began Karl Bulla and his sons, as well as photographs of other masters pre-revolutionary Russia filmed in St. Petersburg and throughout Russia.

In 2002, at the expense of V.E. Elbek, a large-scale reconstruction was carried out in the photo salon, which made it possible to preserve a memorial room for the city Bulla's photo studio... The historic glass shade of the photo workshop has been recreated. Although the reconstruction was not completed as planned, for the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg, the solemn opening of a photo salon named after Karl Bulla took place already in January 2004.

Currently, in the premises of the reconstructed photo studio, there is a small museum with an exhibition gallery and the Karl Bulla Foundation for Historical Photography, registered in 2005 and aiming to study and popularize Russian photography XIX - the first half of the XX century. The historical pavilions have a modern photo studio.

Visit to the Karl Bulla Museum in St. Petersburg: address, opening hours, ticket prices

Karl Bulla Photo Salon (Historical Photography Foundation and Cala Bulla Museum) located at Nevsky prospect, 54, near the metro station "Gostiny Dvor".

Opening hours of the museum and gallery: from 10:00 to 20:00, daily (at the photo salon Sunday and Monday are days off).

Price entrance ticket is 50 rubles (for students and pensioners - 25 rubles). Amateur photography of the museum and the panorama of Nevsky Prospekt - 100 rubles, professional shooting- 1000 rubles.

The official website of the Karl Bulla Foundation: bullafond.ru

If you are on Nevsky, 54, be sure to check out this salon. It is worth entering here both for the sake of a stunning view from the observation deck, and for getting to know memorial museum which, despite its modest size, will make you admire talent and hard work famous photographer and his sons and take an interest in their life and work.

Friday, June 03, 2016 00:51 + to the quote pad

We would like to tell you about one of the little-known chamber museums in St. Petersburg. Historical Photography Foundation named after Karl Bulla located in the very center of the city. However, not everyone knows that in this representative building, where numerous shops and institutions are crowded, there is a curious museum-gallery, as well as a unique terrace from where you can look down onto Nevsky Prospekt!

Antique camera in the Karl Bulla photo museum

It was in this building - at Nevsky Prospekt, 54 - that before the revolution was located Karl Bulla's photo studio, the founder of the genre of photo reporting in Russia, the famous "light painter" who captured the everyday life of St. Petersburg and important historical events, ordinary people and outstanding creative figures at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. It now houses a small museum displaying a tiny piece of Bulla's richest heritage, as well as a modern photo studio and gallery with regularly changing temporary exhibitions.

About the Karl Bulla Memorial Photo Salon on Nevsky, 54

The Karl Bulla Foundation for Historical Photography is located at the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and Malaya Sadovaya Street, a stone's throw from Gostiny Dvor, right next to the famous Eliseevsky. In a word, you cannot imagine a more central place.

House on Nevsky, 54

To find yourself in a quiet, pleasant corner with the aristocratic atmosphere of old Petersburg, it is enough to go through the door with the signboard "Photo Salon" and, leaving behind the noisy Nevsky Prospect, overcome the pedestrian ascent to the fourth floor.

The way up is brightened up by photographs of various celebrities of our time hung on the walls.

Finally, we are there. To the left is a door with a signboard "Photo Salon".

At first, there will be a small lobby with a new-style, antique-styled decoration and a lot of flowers, which also seem to be specially selected in the spirit Belle Époque.

All kinds of ferns, ficuses, palms and other green spaces abound in the entire salon, which is why you tune in to a blissful, almost resort style. The glass roof only adds to the greenhouse flavor.

Already in the lobby we are greeted by a photograph (self-portrait!) Of the main character - Karl Bulla. He wore a portable camera around his neck, which allowed the photographer to freely go outside and shoot various views of St. Petersburg. An unusually progressive technique for those times, without which such a fruitful career as a reportage photographer would hardly have been possible.

Karl Bulla

Another small staircase - and we find ourselves in the actual memorial corner (museum), continuing with an exhibition gallery and a terrace with an observation deck.

In the memorial corner, which occupies only a few square meters, the atmosphere of antiquity is recreated: there is a piano with candlesticks (occasionally live music sounds in the salon), on the walls there are a clock with a pendulum and numerous photographs taken in this and other salons.

Some of the photographs are original photographs of the early 20th century.

Others have been printed in our time from old negatives.

Among others, numerous photographs of Chaliapin stand out, alone or surrounded by friends and family.

Occasionally, Karl Bulla's trademark monogram can be seen in the lower right corner of brownish photographs.

Here we also see a unique pavilion camera from the Bull era, which is still in working order and is sometimes used to create retro photographs in the style of the master.

Next door is a nook, immersed in greenery, with three photographic portraits depicting the photographer himself and his two sons (the elder Alexander and the younger Victor).

Another old camera of that time is also shown here. These two outlandish cameras, the size of a good organ, are a matter of special pride for the founders of the museum.

It is no secret that the St. Petersburg Germans left a huge mark on the pre-revolutionary history of the city on the Neva. Immigrants from Germany were among the prominent architects, sculptors, engineers, educators, military leaders, bankers and patrons of the arts. Actually, until 1917, the Germans made up the largest percentage of the Petersburg population after the Russians. And Karl Bull can rightfully be counted among this wonderful stratum. By the way, he was far from her the only immigrant from the German lands who successfully worked in the photography genre in the capital Petersburg.

It is through his eyes that we now see the lost interiors of the royal and grand ducal mansions, the architecture of those affected in Soviet time temples, the life of representatives of various classes and professions: from aristocrats and scientists to cabbies and milkmen. Thanks to his photographs, we can imagine how the festive and sad events took place in the life of the city, how the residents, houses, signs, streets of St. Petersburg looked at that time, we have the opportunity to visit Repin, Chaliapin, Tolstoy and other representatives of the intelligentsia.

The lens of his camera captured life in all its manifestations: ceremonial and everyday. Bulla became a true chronicler of an era - a lost era. It is not surprising that now his photographs are the most valuable material for historians, restorers, artists, filmmakers.

The main part of the light extended gallery of the photo salon is reserved for temporary exhibitions: the salon regularly hosts exhibitions of works by contemporary photographers and photojournalists. In particular, the most interesting International Photo Contest named after Karl Bulla "The Epochs of Visible Features" is held every two years, the purpose of which is to create a "historical photo chronicle of Russia." The last such competition started in May 2015. The final exposition of the best works based on the results of the competition was opened here, on Nevsky, 54, in November 2015.

The doors on the right lead to a working photo studio, located in an unusually bright room with the atmosphere of a tropical greenhouse. This is Karl Bulla's historical photographic studio. The glass dome towering over the building is clearly visible even from below, from Nevsky Prospect. Bulla greatly appreciated this light shade as it allowed the photographer to work with natural light.

The current dome is not genuine. It was recreated during the painstaking restoration of the photo studio in 2002-2003.

The modern photo studio continues to provide various services for professional art photography and restoration of old photographs. In particular, here you can take pictures in costumes made in the fashion of the 19th century, as well as order the restoration and printing of old photographs.

Let's return now to the main exhibition gallery. Through the glass doors at the far end, you can get to balcony-terrace overlooking Nevsky Prospect.

For the sake of this panoramic terrace, most photographers and simply lovers of city landscapes come here, who want to admire the center of St. Petersburg from a bird's eye view.

The terrace is a small open balcony with a metal ladder and indispensable pots of flowers.

Photo studio named after Karl Bulla in St. Petersburg, observation deck

Having overcome three thin perch-steps, you find yourself at the very top - a small, less than one square meter, site with an excellent panoramic view of the intersection of Nevsky and Sadovaya: Gostiny Dvor, the City Duma building, Alexandrinsky Theater, the Russian National Library - everything is in full view. In the distance you can see the domes of the Kazan and St. Isaac's Cathedrals.

Photo studio named after Karl Bulla in St. Petersburg, view of Sadovaya

Photo studio named after Karl Bulla in St. Petersburg, view of the Nevsky

The feeling of insecurity is somewhat hampered by enjoying the view: it is difficult to relax, standing at such a decent height, especially under the onslaught of the wind, even if it is completely safe. But the more fearless visitors literally go further: they climb over the fence and illegally descend this very staircase to continue the adventure. Walking on the rooftops is a favorite Petersburg pastime. And why not do it for the sake of good pictures!

Photo studio named after Karl Bulla in St. Petersburg, bottom view of the observation deck and the glass dome

Before leaving the museum, it is worth taking a look at the small exposition on the landing.

Photo studio named after Karl Bulla in St. Petersburg

Particularly interesting are two five-meter panoramas of Nevsky Prospekt: ​​before us is an old one, taken by an unknown photographer in 1861 at a long 5-minute exposure (which is why there is not a soul on the streets, only a lone horse), and a modern circular panorama made in 1998 by a photojournalist Sergey Kompaniychenko. Both panoramas were filmed from the same point: from the balcony at the base of the spire of the Admiralty tower.

The same principle of comparison formed the basis of the recent exhibition “Petersburg a century later”. At this exhibition, historical photographs of St. Petersburg, taken by Karl Bulla, were side by side with modern photographs taken by Kompaniychenko from the same points. This panorama was also shown at the exhibition. (I thought: if the panoramas were shot today, there would probably be even more cars on the streets).

Below the panoramas is a collection of old photographs taken at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in different cities of Russia.

Of course, there are also pictures taken in a photo studio in St. Petersburg, and very different ones (Karl Bulla's studio was far from the only one: then photo salons met almost on every corner, at least in the city center).

It is extraordinarily curious to look at the photographs of John of Kronstadt and Taisia ​​Leushinskaya made by Karl Bulla, as well as the photograph taken by him of the now lost St.Andrew's Cathedral in Kronstadt.

From here, another small staircase leads to the upper floor, where a sign with a warning sign "18+" indicates.

There is a permanent exhibition of pre-revolutionary erotic photography in a cozy room under the roof.

Here are shown erotic retro-portraits and scenes (innocent and not so) from the private collection of the current owner of the photo studio.

It is worth looking into this room just for the sake of a beautiful view from the windows.

Photo studio named after Karl Bulla in St. Petersburg, view from the window on Eliseevsky

The view opens from two windows: on one side you can see the roof of Eliseevsky, on the other - the Alexandrinsky Theater, the Russian National Library, Gostiny Dvor and the roofs of St. Petersburg extending into infinity.

Photo studio named after Karl Bulla in St. Petersburg, view from the window of the Alexandrinsky Theater

Photo studio named after Karl Bulla in St. Petersburg, view from the window to the rooftops

The history of the photo studio on Nevsky Prospekt, 54

The photographic studio in the Demidovs' house on Nevsky, 54 is one of the most respectable in St. Petersburg. Moreover, it is the oldest photo studio in Russia. Its history dates back to the mid-1850s, that is, practically from the moment the first photographs appeared in our country.

The first owner of the photo studio was Karl Ludwigovich Kulish, who started out as a daguerreotype on Gorokhovaya Street. In what year he opened an atelier on Nevsky, it is not known exactly, but, most likely, it was before 1858 (before renumbering; then this house was listed as number 55, not 54). In 1866, the studio was acquired by the eminent St. Petersburg photographer - Italian Ivan (Giovanni) Bianchi. Unlike Kulish, Bianchi did not limit himself to the scope of pavilion portrait photography: he was almost the first photographer in St. Petersburg who began to go out and take pictures of city views, and work in the genre of photo reportage.

In 1872, the photo studio became the property of the merchant of the second guild, Rudolf Fedorovich Beyer, and later the salon was inherited by his son Johann. In the 1880s, Grigory Aleksandrovich Borel became the owner. The location of the studio was the most advantageous: almost in the very center of Nevsky, next to the Alexandrinsky Theater and the Public Library, at a busy trade intersection, near Gostiny Dvor and Passage. No wonder it was so popular. View of the house in 1872-1882:

In 1882-1883, the building was rebuilt for the merchant A. M. Ushakov according to the project of the famous architect P. Yu. Suzor. In the new building, along with many other establishments, a photographic studio was also opened. This time Ivan Pavlovich Chesnokov became the owner (the company was called Borel by the name of the previous owner). House after reconstruction:

Finally, around 1906-1908 (the exact date is not known) the photo studio on Nevsky, 54, was acquired by Karl Karlovich Bulla, the most famous Petersburg photographer, who was then at the zenith of fame. The master's family settled in the same building. And the company "Borel" moved to the neighboring house number 56, where it existed until the construction of Eliseevsky (1903). House on Nevsky, 54 in the photograph of Karl Bulla himself:

After the revolution, the photo studio continued to work, but already as a state institution. Karl Karlovich emigrated in 1917. The business was continued by his sons, but their fate was tragic. The eldest son, Alexander Bulla, was sent into exile in 1928, and the youngest, Victor Bulla, was shot in 1938 on a false denunciation. The dynasty of photographers was forgotten for decades. However, the atelier continued to work and did not close even during the years of the blockade. In the post-war period "Photography No. 1" became the center of portrait and family photography. Leningraders lined up to take a memorable photo for a family album, gladly took portrait photographs and photographs for a passport.

Photography on Nevsky, 54 has been working for over 150 years.

About the house of the Demidovs (Nevsky, 54)

The building that houses the historic photo studio is known as house of the Demidovs.

The first known house on this site was built in the 1740s by the architect Pietro Antonio Trezzini... In the 1750s, it was bought out and rebuilt (presumably according to the project of S.I. Chevakinsky) for a statesman Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov... Around the building a whole palace complex arose, occupying the entire block up to Italianskaya Street.

In the 1770s and 1790s, the diplomat Count A.A. Bezborodko, the mathematician D. Bernoulli, the publisher I.F.Bogdanovich, Princess E.R.Dashkova, poets and statesmen G.R.Derzhavin and I.I. Dmitriev. Empress Catherine II paid visits.

In 1825, the house was acquired by a representative of the famous family of breeders Demidov- industrialist N.N.Demidov(he himself, however, had lived in Florence since 1815). In 1841, the building was expanded by the architect A. Kh. Pel. The son of Nikolai Nikitich lived here P.N.Demidov- Founder of the Demidov Prize of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, Colonel K. K. Danzas- Lyceum comrade and second A.S. Pushkin. The house contained the furnished rooms of Madame O. Chatillon, and it was called the "Demidov Hotel". In 1843, the hotel hosted the acquaintance of the writer I.S.Turgenev with the singer P. Viardot-Garcia.

From 1878 to the revolution, the house was owned by a merchant of the 1st guild A. M. Ushakov... In 1882-1883, the building was rebuilt according to the project of the famous architect P. Yu. Suzora(among his creations is the "House of Singer", also known as the House of Books, on Nevsky Prospekt).

House on Nevsky, 54

Instead of a modest three-storey building, the now familiar four-storey building appeared in the forms of mature eclecticism: with rich stucco molding on the facade, two-storey bay windows with bow gables and a spectacularly rounded corner under a small dome.

A.M.Ushakov's profitable house at different times accommodated many famous institutions: a bookstore and A.A.Cherkesov's library (on the basis of which the V.V. ... In the first third of the XX century, the studio of the photographer KK Bulla and his sons worked in the house.

During the blockade of Leningrad and in the post-war period, a photo studio continued to operate on Nevsky, 54, as well as salon.

In 2002, a commemorative plaque was installed on the wall of the corridor at the entrance to the hairdresser's: “ This barbershop worked throughout the blockade. During these years, the work of hairdressers proved: beauty will save the world.". (The barber shop lasted until 2006).

Another plaque can be seen on the facade of the house.

It says that in the days of the heroic defense of Leningrad in 1941-1944, there were loudspeakers on this corner, where residents of the besieged city came to listen to messages about events at the front.

Recreation of the photo studio and the opening of the Karl Bulla Museum

In the 1990s, a St. Petersburg doctor Valentin Evgenievich Elbek decided to buy a photo studio on Nevsky, 54. This idea was proposed to him by his son. However, by that time, the photo studio, according to Elbek himself, was more “ was like a hen house in a dreadful state, with leaking roofs and crumbling stairs. It was impossible to breathe in the rooms where the photographs were developed and printed. Everything was in such desolation that it was difficult even to imagine that someday it would be possible to make a good photo studio here, to create a museum named after Karl Bulla» .

Valentin Elbek, President of the Karl Bulla Foundation for Historical Photography

For several years, the photo studio existed in such a neglected form, and it remained a profitable enterprise. By the end of the 1990s, the new owner, having studied the history of this place in more detail and learned more about the fate of the famous dynasty of photographers, was convinced of the need to restore the salon and create a memorable place here. Gradually, the acquisition of genuine photographs of Karl Bulla and his sons, as well as photographs of other masters of pre-revolutionary Russia, who shot in St. Petersburg and throughout Russia, began.

House on Nevsky, 54, photo salon sign

In 2002, at the expense of V.E. Elbek, a large-scale reconstruction was carried out in the photo salon, which made it possible to preserve the memorial room of Bulla's photo studio for the city. The historic glass shade of the photo workshop has been recreated. Although the reconstruction was not completed as planned, for the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg, the solemn O opening of the photo studio them. Karl Bulla took place in January 2004.

Currently, in the premises of the reconstructed photo studio, there is a small museum with an exhibition gallery and the Karl Bulla Foundation for Historical Photography, registered in 2005 and aiming to study and popularize Russian photography of the 19th - first half of the 20th century. There is a modern photo studio in the historical pavilions.

Photo studio named after Karl Bulla in St. Petersburg

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Used sources:

1. Bulla, Karl Karlovich, Wikipedia article

2. History of Karl Bulla's photo studio on the official website

3. Foundation of Historical Photography named after Karl Bulla, VK group

4. Fotosphere - magazine about modern photography... Karl Bulla photo studio

5. Karl Karlovich Bulla at photographer.ru

6. The classics of photography: Karl Bulla

7. House of I. I. Shuvalov - House of the Demidovs - House of A. M. Ushakov on the architectural site citywalls.ru

8. Karl Bulla - Life and work

9. Alexander Kitaev. German contribution to Russian photography of the 19th century Karl Douthendey, Alfred Lawrence, Albert Felisch, Karl Bulla

10. Anna Sennikova. Karl Bulla. The man who captured the century

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12. Notes of a boring man - Karl Bull. Portraits

13. Karl Bulla and sons

14. Photographer Karl Bulla and his sons. Interview with V.E. Elbek // History of St. Petersburg. No. 1 (29) / 2006

15. Non-format magazine - Nevsky 54. Photos of this section of Nevsky in different eras

16.Karl Bulla and Sons: A Dynasty of Photographers

17. The life and fate of Karl Bulla. Karl Bulla's family

18. Grechuk, N.V. Petersburg. Frozen Moments: the history of the city in photographs by Karl Bulla and his contemporaries. - Moscow: Centerpolygraph; St. Petersburg: Russian Troika, 2014

19. Great Karl... How a provincial from Prussia became the king of photo essay in Russia

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21. Museum of Russian Photography. Russian photography. XIX century. Bulla Alexander and Victor (brothers)

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23. Karl Bulla's Empire: History through the Eyes of a Photographer

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25.Bulla quit business for an Estonian photo studio

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29. And the brandmayor and the emperor

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