Marc Ferrez (December 7, 1843 – January 12, 1923) was a Brazilian photographer born in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...

. Marc Ferrez was the son of the French sculptor and engraver Zepherin Ferrez who moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1816. Marc Ferrez was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He studied in Paris then came back to Rio as an apprentice to photographer Franz Keller of Germany. In 1865, Ferrez opened his own photography studio where he primarily focused of landscapes and Brazilian nature. His work became so popular that Emperor Dom Pedro II gave him funds to support his art, allowing Ferrez to explore every angle that the camera had to offer. Just eight years after its opening, in 1873, his studio burned down. He returned to France to purchase a new camera, opting for one that had the capability of taking panoramic photos. This was a view of photography that was still in its infancy. When he finally returned to Rio de Janeiro, he focused on rural landscapes and slaves working on the

plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

s. From 1875 to 1876 Ferrez joined American Charles Frederick Hartt on a geological and geographic expedition to the inner province of

Bahia Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro) and the 5th-largest b ...

. It was during this trip Ferrez took pictures of indigenous Botocudo tribe, and used the panorama and became the master of it. Corcovadoporferrez

Ferrez's life was dedicated to the art of photography and he is considered one of the greatest photographers of his time. His production was massive, and his photographs document the consolidation of Brazil as a nation and

as a

metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big ci ...

. Emperor Pedro II declared Ferrez the "photographer of the Royal Navy", because of his superior skill of neutralizing the ships movements. In 1876, he entered his photos into an exhibition, with an

ethnological Ethnology (from the grc-gre, ἔθνος, meaning 'nation') is an academic field that compares and analyzes the characteristics of different peoples and the relationships between them (compare cultural, social, or sociocultural anthropology). ...

interest, called Exhibition of the Century in Pennsylvania. He won a gold medal. In 1882 he won in the

South American Continental Exhibition The South American Continental Exhibition (Exposición Continental Sud-Americana) was held in Buenos Aires from 14 March to 31 July 1882. Organisation The fair was organised by the Industrial Club of Buenos Aires who had organised an industrial ...

in Buenos Aires. In 1904, he entered his material into the world fair in St. Louis. He was the only photographer to win a gold medal. In 1907, he opened his own picture house in Rio de Janeiro, Pathé Cinema. It was here that he tried out new technology that enhanced the field of photography. During the end of his life he focused more on photographing architecture and street scenes in Rio de Janeiro. Ferrez's most popular works were of Brazilian landscapes. Natural features: mountains, waterfalls, jungles. Man-made engineering, railroads, bridges, and urban buildings. Ferrez is considered by photography historians to be a master at his craft; his work is on the same level as famous photographers

William Henry Jackson William Henry Jackson (April 4, 1843 – June 30, 1942) was an American photographer, Civil War veteran, painter, and an explorer famous for his images of the American West. He was a great-great nephew of Samuel Wilson, the progenitor of Am ...

and

Eadweard Muybridge Eadweard Muybridge (; 9 April 1830 – 8 May 1904, born Edward James Muggeridge) was an English photographer known for his pioneering work in photographic studies of motion, and early work in motion-picture projection. He adopted the first ...

. He photographed Brazil from south to north, but paid more attention to his home city, Rio de Janeiro. His masterpieces are the great albums of railway constructions and the great panoramic views of the city of Rio de Janeiro and its development. Ferrez died in 1923 and left thousands of pictures and reproductions of his works.

References

External links

Marc Ferrez photographs of Avenida Central from the CCA Collection
* http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/artists/1439/marc-ferrez-brazilian-1843-1923/ * http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T028051 {{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrez, Marc 1843 births 1923 deaths Brazilian photographers Brazilian people of French descent