Frozen in Time

It is with great pleasure that the Estorick Collection brings a selection of photographs by Vittorio Sella to London for the first time in many years. Sella’s images of the mountainous terrain of five continents are some of the most breathtaking and beautiful images of their kind ever taken – as well as astonishing feats from a technical point of view. From a twenty-first century standpoint, they possess an additional power to move the viewer that Sella could not have foreseen, constituting a salutary reminder of the fragility of such landscapes and the threats they face in our modern world. Although Sella’s visit to Britain in 1892 resulted in a near-death experience (an accident in a train leaving him with a fractured skull) England, and in particular, London, was to be a key reference point for him throughout his career. His knowledge of the language was sufficient for him to correspond in English, his beautiful, largescale view cameras were ordered from and made in London and his photographs were distributed for sale from the capital. London also played its part in fostering Sella’s reputation during his own lifetime. His work was recognised by institutions such as the Alpine Club, the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Photographic Society. In addition, important books of his photographs were published here, including Douglas Freshfield’s The Exploration of the Caucasus of 1896 and Filippo De Filippi’s account of the Duke of the Abruzzi’s expedition to the Karakoram and the western Himalayas in 1909, as well as the first biography of Sella. Although this reintroduction of Sella to London is long overdue, its timing is perhaps auspicious, on the cusp of the 150th anniversary of his birth next year. Our thanks for making it possible go to Mark Haworth-Booth for his advice and efforts and, of course, to Lodovico and Angelica Sella at the Fondazione Sella in Biella both for their kindness in lending the works that form this exhibition and for all their work in ensuring its realisation. Finally, as ever, I am grateful to all the staff at the Estorick Collection, Harry Hare in particular for his passion for the subject, and everybody who has devoted so much energy and enthusiasm to this project.

Introduction by Roberta Cremoncini