#Exhibit of the Month

The main parts of the camera include the body, bellows, lens, and viewfinder system. The body consists of two lacquered walnut wood frames, joined by a folding black textile bellows that allows the necessary extension for focusing. On the front panel is the Agfa anastigmat lens, mounted in a Compur-type shutter produced by F. Deckel in Munich. It features a foldable "brilliant" viewfinder for both portrait and landscape orientation. It uses glass photographic plates coated with a photographic emulsion, mounted in walnut wood holders, with a frame size of 9x12 cm.
The walnut wood model, considered the flagship "Agfa Isolar Luxus," was designed by the A.H. Rietzschel factory in Munich, acquired by AGFA in 1925, which continued producing this type of camera under its own name until the late 1920s.
The piece was restored by Mihail Culașco, Restoration Department of NMHM.
Brief History of the Camera
The history of the camera spans 200 years, evolving from the camera obscura to today's digital devices. Key milestones include: the first permanent photograph in 1826 by French physicist Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, using a wooden box and a plate coated with bitumen of Judea; the invention of the first photographic process - daguerreotype - in 1839 by Frenchman Louis Daguerre, marking the official birth of photography; the invention of calotype, based on the negative/positive principle, by British physicist and chemist Fox Talbot; the invention of wet collodion plates by Englishman Frederick Scott Archer and dry glass plates by Richard Leach Maddox and John Huds Bennet; the introduction of flexible roll film and the launch of the first Kodak camera by American inventor George Eastman; the release of the first 35 mm film camera by German company "Leica"; the launch of the first instant camera "Polaroid," invented by American Edwin Land. Finally, starting in 1975, this path led to the digital photography revolution. Each successive step made cameras smaller and faster, significantly improving image quality.
The first photographic studio in Chișinău was opened in 1854 by Eduard Glewski, and before World War I, there were already about 100 photography studios in Bessarabia.
The collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova includes over 30 cameras, made in Austria, Germany, France, USSR, Japan, and China, dating from the late 19th century to the 2000s. Among them are folding bellows cameras, BOX-type cameras, single-lens reflex (SLR) and twin-lens reflex (TLR) cameras, as well as digital (DSLR) cameras.

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Events Archive

Opening of the Exhibition "German Colony Emmental – Artistic Reflections"

September 17, 2024

On September 17, 2024, at the National Museum of History of Moldova, the exhibition "German Colony Emmental - Artistic Reflections" was inaugurated. The event brought to the forefront the history of the German settlers in Bessarabia, explored through artworks reflecting the life, traditions, and heritage of this community. The exhibition provided an opportunity to rediscover the deep connection between historical past and artistic present, evoking significant moments from the history of the German community that settled in the region 210 years ago.

On the occasion of the opening, Dr. hab. Eugen Sava, Director of the National Museum of History of Moldova, emphasized the importance of this exhibition in preserving and promoting the historical and cultural heritage of the German settlers in Bessarabia. Veaceslav Repcinschii, director of the Agency for Interethnic Relations, highlighted the German community's contribution to the region's cultural diversity and the importance of cooperation between cultural institutions to keep this heritage alive. Father Dr. Petru Ciobanu brought attention to the historical and cultural dimensions of the German settlers, underscoring the impact of their values on Bessarabia's cultural landscape.

Representing the commune of Pervomaisc, Mrs. Iana Suhan, director of the local cultural center, spoke about the deep connection between the local community and German traditions, providing a brief history of the commune. Museum curator Lucia Marinescu, responsible for organizing the exhibition on behalf of the National Museum of History of Moldova, gave a detailed presentation of the exhibited works, explaining how they capture the essence of life and traditions of the settlers from Emmental.

In her closing remarks, Antonina Casap, the author of the exhibited works, offered an in-depth insight into her artistic process, explaining how personal experiences and her connection to the history of the German community in Bessarabia influenced the creation of this collection. She emphasized that each artwork represents a dialogue between past and present, and the themes addressed, from rural landscapes and specific architecture to portraits of settlers, reflect not only the community's cultural heritage but also her attempt to keep their memory alive.

The exhibition "German Colony Emmental - Artistic Reflections" will remain open to the public until October 9, 2024, offering visitors the opportunity to explore the history of the German community in Bessarabia through the paintings of Antonina Casap.