Karl Bulla

While researching bathhouses, I stumbled upon German-Russian photographer Karl Bulla (1853/55-1929), often called the father of Russian photojournalism, photographed just about everything in late Imperial Russia, from the Tsar's family and Leo Tolstoy to wrestlers, soldiers, gymnasts, and men getting scrubbed down in public bathhouses. Born in Prussia, he ran away to St. Petersburg as a boy and eventually built one of Russia's most successful photography studios.

1. Karl Bulla in top hat, tuxedo, and camera c. early 1900s.

*All remaining photos are either by Karl Bulla or one of his sons under his studio.

2. Egorov Brothers' Banya, St. Petersburg c. 1910.

3. Egorov Banya again. Notice grand architecture, ornate decoration, plants, and sculpture.

I'm particularly interested in Bulla's photographs of men and their connection to the growing physical culture movementof the early 20th century. Among the images here are wrestlers Georg Lurich and Karl Pospischil, military medical examinations, gymnastic exercises, and the Egorov brothers' baths. Some of these photographs are surprisingly revealing for their time, and others simply capture the camaraderie and physicality of men together.

4. Swimming school in St. Petersburg in 1913.

5. Soldier medical inspection.

6. Turners-style group of gymnasts with poles.

7. Opening of the Hercules gym in St. Petersburg.

Bulla's sons, Viktor and Alexander, were also photographers, so a credit to Bulla doesn't necessarily mean Karl was behind the camera. I've had a difficult time tracking down more of these images, so if anyone knows of additional photographs or can help clarify the credits, I'd love to hear from you. There's clearly more to this story than I've been able to uncover.

8. Georg Lurich (1876-1920), Estonian greco-roman wrestler, strongman, and weightlifter who trained George Hackenschmidt beginning in 1896 when he was 18 years old.

9. Karl Pospischil (born Karl Fejtek c1887-c1953) Bohemian (Czech) heavy-weight greco-roman wrestler.

10. Pospischil standing with foreskin retracted.

11. Leo Tolstoy (1828-1919) by Karl Bulla in 1908. For those who don't know, Tolstoy was a monumental Russian author, moral thinker, and social reformer who some consider the greatest writer of all time. Two of his masterworks were War and Peace (1869) and Anna Karenina (1877).

Please leave thoughts, questions, additions or corrections in the comments. Thank you, bns