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Sergey Prokudin Gorsky: At the stubble-field

На жнитве / At the stubble-field by Sergey Prokudin Gorsky - 1909

One of Gorsky’s incredible photographs titled ‘At the stubble-field’ (above) has been my all time favourite. Taken late in the evening more than 100 years ago (1909), this photograph has a mesmerising effect on me. Can’t stop staring at it, can’t stop thinking about it … I completely feel lost in time and space when looking at it hence featuring it again. It is a wonderful record of a golden moment in the evening at a Russian farm … a farmer family finishing off day’s work to go back to home, it’s going to be dark soon, shall I warm up or cook food, peace and quiet, can I lit a cigarette, let’s talk … may be some cattle sounds in the background. Smoke coming out of a chimney, a small peaceful dwelling – what would have been the conversation topic that night? Was there anyone to tell them that there’s a revolution on its way that is going to change their and their generation’s life in years to come!

This brilliant Russian photographer from early 20th century captured something which is more than a picture to me, may be a vivid statement of more than a thousand words?

Below is another picture at the same time, place and people.

At the stubble-field by Sergey Prokudin Gorsky - 1909

Prokudin Gorsky (also Gorskii) left Russia on the brink of the revolution in 1918 and settled in France. Following is some of his other work around documenting Russian way of life back then.