The photographic archive contains a wide range of subjects, ranging from photographs of the shipyards of the Compañia Trasatlántica Española and the Trasmediterranea, the Port of Barcelona, fishing, maritime trades and occupations, coastal towns, water sports, individual portraits, military vessels, the Drassanes Reials (Royal Shipyards) building in Barcelona, the collection showing the history and progress of the institution, etc. It includes the work of such unique authors on the subject of the sea as Joaquim Pla Janini, Pau Audouard, Antoni Esplugas and Napoleó, and includes a great range of different processes such as daguerreotypes, albumen prints, ferrotypes, stereoscopic plates, slides and digital photography.
SEMINARS ON PHOTOGRAPHY IN MUSEUMS AND ARCHIVES
1st Seminar
25th October 2011. The cultural use of photography collections: limits and possibilities.
5th Seminar
15th October 2019. Photomechanical procedures: processes that are stable but difficult to identify.
ACTIVITIES
LABORATORY OF EXPERTS IN MARITIME PHOTOGRAPHY
Every week our laboratory of experts meet up at the MMB to document, research and discuss maritime photography, thereby assisting the Museu in its documentation tasks.
The group is made up of researchers, collectors and lovers of maritime photography. Thanks to their generous participation, the Museu now possesses a highly valuable tool for documenting maritime photography. It should be borne in mind that this field of photography has a very broad range of subject matter, which includes merchant shipping, the Navy, fishing, water sports and the undersea world.
MARITIME PHOTOGRAPHY IDENTIFICATION SESSIONS
Pere de Prada
Four sessions are held every year for the purpose of identifying maritime photography. This comprises a selection of images on different subjects, with the aim of exchanging opinions, analysing the photographic document and documenting it according to date, place, type and/or name of vessel, and name of photographer.
These sessions are held at the MMB, and they are open to anyone who is interested in maritime photography.
The activity is also open to social media, with a space for meeting and permanent debate in which people can share photographs of the sea and information on the subject.
WORKING GROUP ON PHOTOGRAPHY IN MUSEUMS AND ARCHIVES
Toni Giménez
The Working Group on Photography in Museums and Archives came into being in 2012, headed by the Museu Marítim de Barcelona. Created out of a need to tackle issues concerning managing and describing photographs, it was devised as a common instrument to be used in every heritage organisation in the country, and for which tools and working synergies need to be established that will promote greater understanding between professionals and users. The group is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of professionals from the world of photography from both public and private institutions, as well as independent professionals: museologists, librarians, documentalists, archivists, photographers, curators and restorers.
COURSES
Laura Covarsi
We hold photography workshops with the aim of promoting knowledge and management of the photographic object, as well as on photographing the sea, in both professional and domestic fields.
Workshop on conservation of photos (Fotoconnexió). How to safeguard family photos.
Courses on sea photography on board the MMB’s fleet of vessels.
