Six hand-coloured portrait photographs of Corfu residents

Corfu, Greece: B. Borri e figio, ca. late 1890s. No binding. Near fine. Six 14.5 x 10.5 cm photos on 16 x 11 cm cards. All hand-coloured. Photographer's name on rear as well as lower edge.

Barolomeo Borri, founder of this photographic firm, was born in 1842 on Cherso Island, Dalmatia but settled in Corfu in 1869. In 1878 he took part at an International Exhibition in Paris, displaying photos of Corfu landscapes, for which he received an award. Along with portraits, Borri was preoccupied with systematically photographing various aspects of Corfu town and countryside. Borri attached his best photos to albums to sell them to tourists. His son, Giuseppe, born in Corfu in 1873, studyied under his father and made his official appearance as a partner in the firm around 1890. As B. Borri e figlio, father and son took part at the International Exhibition in Brussels in 1894 and were awarded for their photographs. At the beginning of the 20th century, the firm still circulated post cards with Corfu landscapes. In 1912 the father retired to Trieste, leaving the studio to his son. Barolomeo died in 1924 agee 84, after which Giuseppe continued to run the studio with success until his own death in 1931. The successor to the firm was his son Rodolfo, born in Corfu in 1913. Rodolfo was forced to enroll in the Italian Army during World War II, leaving his wife Maria to keep things running until 1944, when she was obliged under wartime circumstances to close the studio after 75 years. The contents of the studio were largely dispersed, so that these colourful portraits showing Corfu residents in their native costumes were found here in Canada. Approximately 60 photographs by Bartolomeo Borri are in the possession of Batolomeo's grandaughter Barbara in Rome.