Jelena Perać
Art Historian, Museum of Applied Art, Belgrade
SAČUVANO SEĆANJE: PORODIČNI ALBUM ZA FOTOGRAFIJE ANASTASA JOVANOVIĆA
PRESERVED MEMORY: ANASTAS JOVANOVIĆ’S FAMILY PHOTO ALBUM
Journal 2/2006 (Museum of Applied Art), pages 41-51
UDC:
77 ( 084. 12 ) ( 049. 32 )
Abstract (original language):
U radu je reč o albumu za fotografije koji je pripadao porodici Anastasa Jovanovića, prvog srpskog fotografa i istaknutog pripadnika građanske elite u Srbiji XIX veka. Album je analiziran u širem socijalnom i istorijskom kontekstu, kao vredan vizuelni dokument, ne samo o životu ove ugledne građanske porodice, već i o nekim aspektima privatnog života i društvenih odnosa u Srbiji XIX veka.
Key words: (original language)
album, fotografija, Anastas Jovanović, porodica, sećanje
Summary:
The appearance of photo albums in mid 19th century was directly linked with the invention of a new medium and the need to collect and preserve the family memories and recollections in one place. As the most important visual evidence of family history and continuity, the album was kept in a clearly visible place, in the salon of a middle-class home, the central space of family gathering.
One of the representative objects that have been preserved to date in the Museum of Applied Art Collection, is a photo album that belonged to the family of Anastas Jovanović, the first Serbian photographer and distinguished member of the Serbian middle class– elite of the 19th century. The album is a valuable unit, witness not only to the history of this esteemed Belgrade family but also to some aspects of private life in Serbia of this period.
The album of Jovanović family was made about 1880. It is a luxury object that contains 80 photographs–portraits. The structure of the album, the greatest part of which is made up of the portraits of immediate family members, fully reflects a new structure of the middle-class family, with all its characteristics: strengthening of the family as a group, strong emotional ties between its members, clear division of gender roles, focus on the child – heir. Other photographs in the album – portraits of the Jovanović family relatives and close friends, pictures of the members of Obrenović dynasty, famous politicians and soldiers, reveal the family and friendship ties but also the national and patriotic feelings of the album owner.
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