Description
Spanning roughly one hundred years, the collection of over 6,000 photographic images forms a visual
record of the late years of the Ottoman Empire and the formation and early years of the Republic of Turkey. The collection
focuses on cultural and urban
images, mainly of Constantinople (Istanbul), the capital of the Ottoman Empire, but other geographic areas, such as the Balkans,
and other cities and
towns within the empire such as Bursa and Smyrna (Izmir) are included, as are a few images from sites in Greece, Egypt, Jerusalem,
India and China. The
work of over 165 photographers is represented in the collection. The collection is supported by a small group of pamphlets
and offprints regarding
photography in the Ottoman Empire and by a small assemblage of photographic ephemera.
Background
Pierre de Gigord, a French business man, is one of seven children born to Colonel François de Gigord and Anne Agnès Thérèse
"Solange" d'Ussel. His
father instilled an early love of travel in the young Gigord. In 1964 en route to a hitchhiking trip to India Gigord stopped
first in Istanbul where an
aunt, Mme. H. de Saint Peine, granddaughter of the founder of the Banque ottomane and régie des tabacs, introduced him to
the city. Fascinated by the
city, Gigord began to make yearly trips to the Bosporus which he financed by importing traditional Turkish crafts, such as
jewelry and textiles, to
France. In 1969 he founded Anastasia, a ready-to-wear folkloric-inspired line of clothing. He further expanded his business
in 2002 with the opening of
the Diwali boutiques specializing in jewelry and accessories from India.
Extent
243.7 Linear Feet
(176 boxes, 2 flatfile folders, 1 frame)
Restrictions
Contact Library Reproductions and
Permissions.
Availability
Open for use by qualified researchers.