Wednesday 12 November 2008

Corfu 1856-1860: Photographic Testimonies

This very interesting exhibition is inside the Mon Repos palace and there is an admission of 3 euros.

From the exhibition's flyer:

"John Davenport Shakespear came to Corfu in 1856 as a Major in the British Garisson, bringing with him his bride, Louisa Caroline Sayer. During his stay on the island, he met Edward Lear, a well-known English traveller, painter and humourous poet. The two men became friends and Lear mentions in his diaries that on February 1858 he sold his "photographic machine" to Shakespeare, who combined his military duties with touring the island, capturing unique pictures of the landscape and its residents. The Shakespeare family returned home to England in 1860.

The collection of J.D. Shakespear, which had the chance to survive as a family heirloom, comprises eighty six original photographs. The photographs are ordered, according to the practice of the period, in a usually quite elaborate album. The themes vary. The photographic lens is sometimes focused on the monuments, the public buildings, the harbours, the residences and the streets of city and other times it attempts to capture aspects of the city's suburbs and the countryside. Of special interest are the portraits of the local population and the members of the British community, while particullaty impressive and important for the urban development of the city are the panoramic views."


Below are some of the pictures of the exhibition:

Corfu Town from Vido Island


View of the north side of the Corfu Town from the Old Fortress


The palace and the Esplanade panoramic view

Distant view of Corfu town and its harbour, probably taken from the Kefalomantouko area
View of Garitsa bay from the Old Fortress



Mandraki harbour on the north side of the Old Fortress peninsula


Old Fortress

Evropouli village


Countryside near Evropouli village

The cemetery in Chalikiopoulos inlet



Maitland monument and some gentlemen

Contrafossa and the Palace on the left

Schulenburg statue outside the Old Fortress' entrance - still stands in the same place today!



The Old Fortress



A British resident of Corfu

The Old Fortress from Garitsa


Corfu Town Panorama


Corfu Town Panorama


Panorama of Garitsa's suburb. Note the snow capped Albanian mountains

The Old Fortress from Kardaki


British Official
British Official



British ships anchored outside Corfu's harbour


Chalikiopoulos inlet - this is where the modern Corfu Airport now stands!


The Harbour in Spilia from the New Fortress


A British official

Corfu Town panorama


A trip in the countryside

Potamos village panorama

Countryside

Kanoni - Vlaherna and the Mouse Island before the tourists

Garitsa bay from "Porta Remunda"

Mouragia area from Mandraki Harbour



The Palace from Contra Fossa

Old Corfu Town

Towards Corfu Town from San Salvador Hill (Filakes)

A british ship

A british ship again

Mandraki harbour

Typical Corfu countryside...

A day in the wood with the olive trees!

British family out in Corfu's woods

The Old Fortress from the NAOK area

Nikiforou Theotoki Street from Liston - Note the "Panagia ton Ksenon" belltower


Kofineta and St Spyridon Street - nothing much has changed since the 1850s!

Pentofanaro again - Notice that there was a view of Saint Spyridon's bell tower!



Pentofanaro!

New Fortress ditch


Garitsa bay from "Porta Remunda" - now demolished. As you can see the whole Tennis and Alexandra Avenue area has not build up yet!


British ships anchored outside Corfu's harbour


A british ship

Panoramic view of Corfu Town


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