Masters of Photography

The Masters of Photography collection features works by professional photographers who operated commercial ateliers in Tbilisi (then Tiflis) during the late Imperial period. These skilled craftsmen—including pioneers like A. Ivanitski and I. Nostits—established photography studios that served as cultural institutions, documenting everything from imperial visits and official ceremonies to urban transformation and ethnographic subjects. Their technical mastery and artistic vision created a comprehensive visual archive of Georgian life during a pivotal period of modernization. These commercial studios made photography accessible to the broader public while maintaining the highest standards of artistic and documentary quality.

Curated by: Giorgi Gersamia