The Image of Greece

Fred Boissonnas (18 June 1858 – 17 October 1946), a Swiss photographer from Geneva, made several trips to Greece between 1903 and 1933, documenting all aspects of the country using notes, drawings and especially photographs. He published 14 photo albums dedicated to Greece, many of which belong to the thematic series entitled L’image de la Grèce (The Image of Greece). He travelled around the country, visiting archeological sites as well as remote villages—the first foreign photographer to do so. His aim was to contribute to the identity of Greece in Europe.

Parga, 1913


Boissonnas persuaded the Greek authorities that his photographs would enhance the country’s political, commercial and touristic image abroad.

 

Shepherds on Mount Parnassus, 1903


Looking at these pictures, one can be forgiven for asking, how?

 

 

Boissonnas being pulled up to a monastery in Meteora, by net.


Certainly, they are wonderful and picturesque daguerreotypes, but they portray a poor though beautiful country, where the traveler could hardly expect to find many comforts.

 

A street in Plaka, Athens
Market street, Andritsaina, 1903



Cities with roads still unpaved.

 

Metsovo, 1913

Barefoot village children.

 

View of the Parthenon, 1908



Unrestored antiquities.

Interior in Lakkoi, 1911

 

Village street in Elassona, 1903



Mostly small and unprepossessing houses.

The 17th-century bridge of Arta, to which an ancient legend is attached.



Because the photos are in black and white, they cannot show the pure blue skies, the sunny landscapes.

 

A courtyard in Akrata, 1903


The people in the photographs are unsmiling, being unused to posing, so the natural friendliness and hospitality of the Greeks is difficult to discern.

 

A wealthy man’s house in Kastoria, 1911


Also at the time people did not lounge on beaches in bikinis, getting a tan, so these are as far from contemporary travel photography as one can imagine.

Interior with loom, Andritsaina, 1903
A A celebration in Corfu, 1903


However, they are a document of those years, and as such fascinating. The clothes, the landscapes with few signs of human intervention, the simplicity of life.

 

Ermou Street, 1920. This is now one of the busiest shopping streets in downtown Athens. Note the Byzantine church of Kapnikarea at the end of the street.
A view of the Acropolis, with grazing sheep, 1903


At the time the photos did serve the purpose of promoting Greece to foreigners, and Boissonnas was financially aided and personally supported by prime minister Eleftherios Venizelos, to whom his publications were dedicated. These were sent to all Greek embassies and the prominent political personalities of the era.

 

 

16 thoughts on “The Image of Greece”

  1. They do serve as a fascinating historical document. Hard to beleive so many still wore that traditional dress in their everyday lives at the time though. I suspect he persuaded them to dress up for his camera. 🙂
    Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. Not at all. This is what they wore. And in some of the villages the traditional costumes are still worn for weddings etc. I went to one in Metsovo two years ago and the whole village turned up dressed like that (but ‘best’ clothes). It was wonderful.

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  4. Photos taken here during the same period are similar in that no one smiles and poorer homes are small and dark. They don’t have the amazing scenery, antiquities and national dress, though. No wonder people wanted to go and see the reality.

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  6. Incredible photographs – I see the men are wearing traditional dress, what are those “skirt” type things called? Was there a practical point to them? They remind me a bit of the doublet and hose that Tudor men used to wear in Britain.

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