Vivid street photography of the Russiаn Empire

Alfred Eberling, a student of Ilya Repin, was, first of all, an artist. Before the 1917 Revolution, he painted portraits of Nicholas II and the Russian highest nobility, while, in Soviet times, Stalin, Molotov, Trotsky and other Party leaders posed for him. His portrait of Vladimir Lenin was printed on the Soviet ten-ruble banknotes in 1937 and became the standard of Soviet monetary miniatures.

Among other things, Eberling was the ancestor of Russian street-photography. In the late 19th century, he bought a photo camera and got incredibly keen on taking pictures. He had a Pocket Kodak that was able to do photos with a little exposure, which let the photos to be incredibly vivid. Dive into these city street scenes from St. Petersburg!

A man hurrying along Nevsky Prospekt.

A couple strolling on Fontanka Embankment.

A family walking on Liteyny Prospect.

Women getting out of a car of a horse-drawn city tram.

And a horse tram driver Nevsky Prospekt.

People bustling across the Anichkov bridge.

An elegant woman attracting everyone’s attention on the Nevsky Prospekt.

Kids playing with nannies in Alexander Garden.

A postman captured reading by the entrance to the General Staff Building.

A jolly gentleman walking along Italyanskaya Street.

A very serious woman walking along Karavannaya street.

Two ladies caught strolling in front of the Winter Palace.

Boys looking at the Neva River.

A baby in a stroller followed by a woman in a fancy kokoshnik headdress.