No astoņkāja līdz sikspārnim: Kāda 19. gadsimta Rīgas pagraba vēsture

• Authors: Lanceniece Lauma

Title variants

EN

From Octopus to Bat: The Enigmatic Underwater Kingdom of 19th Century Riga

• Languages of publication: LV

Abstracts

EN

This article explores a mysterious collection of photographs discovered in the archives of the Riga History and Navigation Museum, offering a glimpse into the captivating underwater kingdom of 19th century Riga. The photographs, dating back to 1894, showcase an elaborately decorated fictional realm within the premises of the Krakenbank literary and music society. The article explores the history of the society, the inspiration behind the underwater theme, and the artistic contributions of its members. It also discusses the subsequent transformations of the location and its significance in Riga’s cultural history. The article begins by introducing the hidden collection of photographs found in the Riga History and Navigation Museum archives. The photographs, accompanied by poetic verses, depict a fantastical underwater realm adorned with wall paintings, sea creatures and mythical figures. Each room is named with a romantic title, providing a captivating glimpse into a bygone era. The photographs are made in the collodion POP technique, known for its warm brown tones and glossy surface. This technique was popular in the late 19th century but was eventually surpassed by silver gelatin. The Krakenbank society was established in 1869 as a charitable organization for the Baltic-German community in Riga. The society provided financial support and organized cultural events. The photographs captured the interiors of the society’s meeting place, located at 8 Merķeļa Street in Riga, which still stands today. The album was created to commemorate the society’s 25th anniversary in 1894.The article highlights the significance of this discovery in providing an insight into the cultural life of 19th century Riga.

Keywords

EN

Rakenbank Society; Riga Baltic-German Community; cultural history; Riga History and Navigation Museum; photography

• Publisher: Institute of Art History of the Latvian Academy of Art and Art History Research Support Foundation
• Journal: Makslas Vesture un Teorija
• Year: 2023
• Volume: 27
• Pages: 22-35

Contributors

author

Lanceniece Lauma

• Riga History and Navigation Museum, Palasta iela 4, Riga, LV-1050, Latvia