Ivan Timiriasew

► Ivan Timiriasew(1860–1927) was a Russian cavalry officer and adjutant to the Russian Governor General in Finland. He was also a passionate amateur photographer and well-liked man-about-town who produced a significant body of works documenting life in the Finnish capital. Alongside his military career, Timiriasew produced a rich photographic portrait of the city and its people. Many of his photographs won prizes and accolades. Among the rare gems in Timiriasew’s collection are his photographs of Russian infantry based in Finland during the First World War.

After retiring from the military shortly before the Russian Revolution in October 1917, Timiriasew settled in Helsinki and went on to pursue a new career as a photojournalist. With their human warmth and wealth of content, his photographs offer highly relatable perspectives on early 20^th century Helsinki and the life of its townspeople.