Bergamasco

Overview

Charles (Karl) Bergamasco (1830–1896), photographer of St Petersburg, born in Italy, who came to Russia as a boy in the 1840s, first worked as an actor at the French Theatre in St Petersburg, learned the daguerreotype in Paris and opened his own studio; he photographed members of the imperial family and went to England in 1877, where he photographed Queen Victoria and her family. (Sources: Bridgeman Education, «Bergamasco, Charles (Karl) (1830–1896)», https://bridgemaneducation.com/en/creator/68888/summary; National Portrait Gallery, London, «Charles Bergamasco», https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp82702/charles-bergamasco; Mon Journal t.8 index: «Bergamasco (M.) photographe : 360».)

Relevance to Marie

On 10 August 1876 (St Petersburg) Marie telegraphs to Nina, who arrives with her daughters to take her to the photographer: «chez Bergamasco le photographe» (064.0515). There she sees an eight-year-old portrait of Grand Duke Vladimir (Vladimir Alexandrovich, 1847–1909, reader footnote): «Je ne pus m'arracher de ce portrait, beauté plus parfaite et plus agréable ne se peut rêver. Giro s'enthousiasmait avec moi et nous avons fini par embrasser le portrait sur les lèvres.» That evening she «cesse définitivement de considérer le duc de Hamilton comme mon ombre chérie» (064.0520).

References in Diary

• 1876-08-10 (064.0515, 064.0520).