Filippos Margaritis
Encyclopedia
Filippos Margaritis is generally acknowledged to have been the first Greek photographer, whose earliest daguerreotypes, of the Acropolis
of Athens, date from 1847. Having studied painting in lithography in Paris
, he opened a studio in [Athens] in 1837 and began teaching at the School of Fine Arts in 1842. He learned the techniques of the daguerreotypes from the French photographer Philibert Perraud who arrived in Greece in 1847, and in turn passed on his knowledge to the students of Athens Polytechnic around 1850.
Later, he moved on to producing calotype
s and albumen print
s on paper, including views of the antiquities of Athens as well as formal portraits of Athenian society including members of the courts of King Otto
and his successor George I
.
He travelled abroad frequently, often to exhibit his work at international exhibitions and fairs. He died in his sister’s home in Würzburg
on 1 April 1892.
Acropolis
Acropolis means "high city" in Greek, literally city on the extremity and is usually translated into English as Citadel . For purposes of defense, early people naturally chose elevated ground to build a new settlement, frequently a hill with precipitous sides...
of Athens, date from 1847. Having studied painting in lithography in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, he opened a studio in [Athens] in 1837 and began teaching at the School of Fine Arts in 1842. He learned the techniques of the daguerreotypes from the French photographer Philibert Perraud who arrived in Greece in 1847, and in turn passed on his knowledge to the students of Athens Polytechnic around 1850.
Later, he moved on to producing calotype
Calotype
Calotype or talbotype is an early photographic process introduced in 1841 by William Henry Fox Talbot, using paper coated with silver iodide. The term calotype comes from the Greek for 'beautiful', and for 'impression'....
s and albumen print
Albumen print
The albumen print, also called albumen silver print, was invented in 1850 by Louis Désiré Blanquart-Evrard, and was the first commercially exploitable method of producing a photographic print on a paper base from a negative...
s on paper, including views of the antiquities of Athens as well as formal portraits of Athenian society including members of the courts of King Otto
Otto of Greece
Otto, Prince of Bavaria, then Othon, King of Greece was made the first modern King of Greece in 1832 under the Convention of London, whereby Greece became a new independent kingdom under the protection of the Great Powers .The second son of the philhellene King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Otto ascended...
and his successor George I
George I of Greece
George I was King of Greece from 1863 to 1913. Originally a Danish prince, George was only 17 years old when he was elected king by the Greek National Assembly, which had deposed the former king Otto. His nomination was both suggested and supported by the Great Powers...
.
He travelled abroad frequently, often to exhibit his work at international exhibitions and fairs. He died in his sister’s home in Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
on 1 April 1892.