Marc Ferrez takes one of the first photographs of Guanabara Bay, in Rio de Janeiro.
Panoramic photograph of the entrance to Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, taken by photographer Marc Ferrez.
33.2 cm x 11.5 cm.
Around 1885, Rio de Janeiro.
Excellent condition of conservation.
Unique piece.
In August 1839, Frenchmen Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre and Joseph-Nicéphore Niépce announced to the world the invention of the daguerreotype. Just a few months later, compatriots of Daguerre and Niépce would bring this new technology to Brazil – now known as photography – and capture the first images of Rio de Janeiro.
The spectacular beauty of Rio de Janeiro, its magnificent bay, its mountains and its vegetation would never cease to nourish the inspiration of one Frenchman in particular: Marc Ferrez (1843 - 1923), one of the pioneers of photography on Brazilian soil.
From the mid-1870s onwards, he became the sole specialist in landscapes, while his fellow artists turned their attention solely to portraits, which were much more lucrative at the time. He used a Brandon camera, which allowed him to photograph in 180 degrees, on large-format glass plates.
The first images of Rio de Janeiro, with a few colonial-style buildings and small fishermen's houses, where today's urbanized beaches are located, enchant the city's admirers. This original print, in perfect condition and recently discovered in Brazil, is a great classic of the panoramic view of the capital of Rio de Janeiro. As Marc Ferrez was one of the pioneers of daguerreotype in the country, his photographs are always coveted by the greatest collectors.
