Vittorio Sella, an Italian photography trailblazer, captured the grandeur of the Himalayas at the turn of the 20th century. His extraordinary images are now on display at the ongoing exhibition titled "Vittorio Sella: Photographer in the Himalaya" in Delhi. Curated by British explorer Hugh Thomson and organized by the Delhi Art Gallery, this collection features some of Sella's rare high-altitude photographs of iconic mountains like Kanchenjunga and K2, taken more than a hundred years ago.
Born in 1859, Sella honed his photography skills in the Italian Alps and adopted complex technology like the collodion process, allowing him to produce remarkable glass plate photographs in challenging conditions. His Himalayan adventure began in 1899 with an expedition around Kanchenjunga, where despite heavy rainfall that hindered the climb, he captured stunning, snow-dusted peaks.
In 1909, Sella achieved new heights on an expedition to K2 with the Duke of the Abruzzi, carrying an extensive camera system that weighed about 30 kg. He created approximately 250 formal photographs during this trek, an impressive feat given the era's limitations. Renowned mountaineer-photographer Ansel Adams later praised Sella's work for its purity and power.
Sella's photographs, marked by a masterful eye, depict a relationship between the mountaineers and their snowy surroundings, sharing moments frozen in time despite the risks faced in high-altitude photography. This exhibition offers an engaging journey into a world where adventure and artistry converge, highlighting one of the greatest mountain photographers in history.
