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Anadolu Agency has added a historic collection of mid-20th-century photographs by the acclaimed Swedish photographer Karl Werner Gullers to its digital archive, preserving these rare images as part of Türkiye's cultural record.
The usage rights to the photographs, held in the collection of Sweden's Nordiska Museet, were secured in accordance with copyright legislation through work carried out by the AA Visual Archive News Directorate.
Following the legal process completed in line with international archive standards, high-resolution copies of the historic photographs were transferred to the AA archive.
The photographs, taken by Gullers during his 1947 visit to Istanbul, capture the city's architectural texture and daily life, along with special visuals commissioned by the Swedish state airline of the period—including images of Istanbul's airport, passengers, and pilots.
The photographs Gullers took in Istanbul reflect the architectural texture and daily life of Istanbul, which was not directly affected by the destruction of World War II.
Various details regarding urban life also stand out in the visuals shot in the late 1940s. In more than 200 frames extending from the Galata Bridge to Karakoy, and from Eminonu to backstreets, vibrant spots of Istanbul are seen alongside quiet areas.
In addition to the architecture of the city, people also occupy the focus of Gullers.
The historic arches and corridors illuminated by the play of light of the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest shopping centers in the world, offer a visual document regarding the cultural memory of the city. In the frames regarding daily life, the activity in the Grand Bazaar stands out with details reflecting the routine of tradesmen and customers.
Photographer Gullers also frequently uses the light filtering through windows as a primary element illuminating the tradesmen. Many branches of craft from the Ottoman period are visible, such as porters, carpet sellers, and watch repairers.
Urban life from the period is captured in a frame of two porters carrying baskets on their backs across the Galata Bridge. Street scenes of Istanbul also include a shoreline dotted with boats and a vendor selling melons.
Gullers' 1947 Istanbul photographs also document the interplay of modern and traditional elements in daily life in detail. While the vitality of street life stands out in these frames, the mix of flat caps and fedora hats worn by people reflects the diversity of Istanbul at the time.
In front of the Galata Bonmarse in Karakoy, horse-drawn carts carrying wood move alongside trams and automobiles—a sight that reflects the transitional period in which modern vehicles and traditional means of transport coexisted in the city.
The Suleymaniye Mosque in the background, paired with small boats on the Golden Horn, illustrates how Istanbul’s historic skyline endured alongside 20th-century modernization.
Among the Gullers photographs transferred to AA's visual archive are frames in which the photographer himself appears. In one image, Gullers is pictured shaking hands with a street photographer, whose camera is set up on a tripod.
The internationally recognized Swedish photographer started photography at the age of 12. After serving as an apprentice to portrait photographer Jan de Meyere and setting up his own studio, Gullers prepared photojournalism reports for magazines such as Picture Post, Se, Vi, and Allers.
Gullers, who signed his name to approximately 100 color and black-and-white photography books, also photographed many well-known figures such as Charlie Chaplin, Ingrid Bergman, and Alfred Hitchcock.
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