New Delhi (National Desk): An art exhibition going on in New Delhi is giving a glimpse of some of the oldest and rarest photographs of the Himalayas. These photographs are more than a century old, which are still considered important in the world of mountaineering and photography. The name of the exhibition is “Vittorio Sella: Photographer in the Himalayas”, which is being organized by the Delhi Art Gallery. It presents the pioneering work done by Italian photographer Vittorio Sella in the Himalayas.
Unique views of the Himalayas
This exhibition has a collection of rare photographs taken by Vittorio Sella, which are related to the high peaks of the Himalayas. It includes photographs of the world’s highest mountains like Kanchenjunga and K2. Vittorio Sella faced extreme difficulties in photographing mountainous areas during his lifetime, but his photographs are still considered examples of mountain photography.
Life and work of Vittorio Sella
Vittorio Sella was born in 1859 in the Italian city of Biella. He was an early mountaineer and photographer. By the age of twenty he had mastered the collodion process, enabling him to capture images on large glass plates. His Himalayan journey began in 1899, when he accompanied British explorer Douglas Freshfield on an expedition towards Kanchenjunga. Although he faced heavy rains and difficult conditions on this journey, he still captured amazing photographs of the snowcapped peaks. Next, in 1909 he joined the Duke of the Abruzzi’s K2 expedition. There he traveled over dangerous paths with his 30-kilogram camera and captured some of the finest mountain photographs.
Photography shaping dreams
Vittorio Sella’s work is important not just because of his adventurous travels and extreme conditions, but also because of the technical aspect of his photography. He was one of the first photographers to give the marks made in the snow equal importance as the efforts of the climbers. The subtlety and technical perfection of his work were admired by other photographers. American photographer Ansel Adams praised the precision and craftsmanship of Vittorio Sella’s photographs, writing that “the precision of his interpretations puts the viewer into religious awe.”
Unprecedented equipment and difficult conditions
The equipment that Vittorio Sella had with him included a 30 kg Dallmayr camera, tripod and glass plates. Apart from this, his clothes alone weighed 10 kg. Despite this, he took about 250 photographs during his journey, most of which were of Kanchenjunga and K2. Despite this difficult journey, the photographs taken by him are still considered a model in the field of mountain photography.
Exhibition event
This exhibition is going on till February 14 at Bikaner House in Delhi. The exhibition is open daily from 11 am to 7 pm. This art exhibition is a great opportunity for those who want to experience the amazing photography of Vittorio Sella and feel the beauty of the Himalayas.
