Carlo Naya

Carlo Naya (* 1816 in Vercelli Tronzano in Turin, † 1882 in Venice ) was one of the most outstanding travel and architectural photographer of the 19th century. Less well known are his portraits and his photographs of everyday life in Venice. In particular, the architectural history of the city, his works are of great value as sources.

Biography

Naya was born as Carlo Well. He studied law in Pisa, and completed his studies in 1840. Together with his brother Giovanni, he traveled extensively, and settled for a short time around 1845 in Prague down. From there he went to Constantinople in 1846 Opel where he experimented with daguerreotypes. In his later trips, such as to Egypt, where he visited Cairo in 1876, he settled in his photos inspired by the pictorial composition of the Renaissance painter.

When his brother died in 1857, he went to Venice and opened a studio together with the publisher Carlo Ponti. But the two founders quarreled. Naya opened his own studio in 1868 and was able to move into a large studio on the Riva degli Schiavoni near the Piazza San Marco. Ponti and Naya were considered the most outstanding photographers in the city.

Nayas Photographs are not only masterpieces of architecture photography but also on portrait painting. They provide insights into the society of impoverished Venice. He photographed water and cigarette butts seller, but also representatives of high society.

One of his students was Tomaso Filippi.

After Nayas death his photo archive was continued until 1918, in 1920 took over Osvaldo Boehm, an art collector, the photo collection, which later Turio - Boehm said. It included more than 5000 negatives, of which 1800 to Venice. The company O. Böhm - Fotografo Editore remained until about 1980 exist.