Prague-Sanghai - Greetings from the Century of Photography / The exhibition at the EXPO 2010 in Sanghai
22.09.2010
Prague is generally considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The historical center od the City with its unique panorama of the Prague castle is included on the Unesco world heritage list, and this, together with its many sights, which attract millions of tourists every year from all over the world, make Prague one of the most visited cities in Europe. The form of Prague today has developed for over eleven centuries. In the past the historical metropolis of Bohemia was the residential seat of Czech princes and kings, emeperors of the holy Roman empire, and the capital of Czechoslovakia, today the Czech republic. By the year 1784, the individual and self-governing towns of Prague were unified under one administrative unit. At the end of the 19th century, Prague was an industrialized and quickly developing city with a railroad and factories.
The 18th century is known as the century of inventions and even of new technologies. It can be said that this boradened the existing horizons for every human being. The invention of the steam engine and its use in sea and rail transport precipitated a process of global migration, comparable in part to the great migration of nations at the beginning of the christian era. However, with the advent of the new media of photography, this particuklar "migration" was documented in pictures. The invention of photography - its overall perspectvie, attractiveness and newness - had a great impact on the general demand for pictured which depicted what was happening in the world in the second half of the 19th century.
One of the most well known photographers of the street corners and panoramas of Prague, František Fridrich (1829 - 1892) had an international reputation as well. In addition to his studio in Prague, he had branches and stocks all over the world, including Shanghai.
Shanghai in the 60s of the 19th century was one of the first cities in China, which began to open to the world and world trade. To the city in a convenient location near the sea began to flow a large number of foreigners, Britons, Frenchmen and Americans, for which the town became the personification of business development activities. Outside the walls of the old Chinese city began to build a new neighborhood, and thus was given the basis of modern Asian metropolis, as we know it today. At a time when it was in 1862 in London, founded the tradition of world history exhibitions in Shanghai begins to shape a new building on the left bank of the Huangpu River, "after a famous Bund, which soon became the financial center of the Far East. At this time in Shanghai combines Chinese tradition with the newly accepted influences of Western Europe and America. Arrived in Shanghai at that time also the first Czechs, such as physician Heinrich Wawra or naval officer Erwin Dubský. In local photographic studios purchased in memory of historical photos, where you can find not only the views of the newly forming international concessions, but also insights into the Chinese quarters with the most famous sights of the city, which was in the garden teahouse Huxingting Jujuan or near the town of Longhua Pagoda Majesty's Dragon, or the majestic ramparts of the old Chinese city surrounded by canals. Shanghai, like Prague, stretched on the bank of river flow, a large river Huangpu, but the urban population is spilled away from the riverbanks. River with adjacent channels has become a natural thoroughfare lively vibrant commercial industry. Color to the city to complement the various means by which the natives and foreigners leave after delivering a growing conurbation. Rapid development of the city should eventually result in demolition of the fortifications of the old Chinese city, which, like Prague prevent more growth in capital construction. The original old town buildings have survived only a few, and the photographs from his travels brought our travelers, the world's unique material important for understanding the history of this major Chinese city.
Prepared by Arbor Vitae Societas in cooperation with the City of Prague.
Curators: Marcela Suchomelová a Filip Suchomel
Translations: Zuzana Li, Magdaléna Wells
Adjustment: Antonín Křížek, Černošice
Photoreproducitons: Markéta Soukupová and Milan Čangel
Graphic design: Štěpán Malovec
With the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic
and the College of Applied Arts in Prague.