Vittorio Sella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vittorio Sella
|
|
|---|---|
Vittorio Sella in 1899
|
|
| Born | 28 August 1859 |
| Died | 12 August 1943 (aged 83) |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Known for | his works of mountain photography |
| Relatives | Quintino Sella (uncle) |
Vittorio Sella (born August 28, 1859 – died August 12, 1943) was a famous Italian photographer and mountaineer. He took some of the best mountain photographs ever seen. His pictures show the beauty and challenge of high peaks around the world.
A Life of Adventure
Vittorio Sella was born in Biella, a town near the Alps mountains in Italy. He loved climbing mountains, a passion he learned from his uncle, Quintino Sella.
Vittorio made many important climbs in the Alps. He was the first to climb the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa in winter. He also completed the first winter crossing of Mont Blanc.
He went on several big expeditions to faraway places. These included three trips to the Caucasus mountains, where a peak is now named after him. He also traveled to Mount Saint Elias in Alaska and the Rwenzori mountains in Africa. In 1909, he joined an expedition to K2 and the Karakoram range. On his trips to Alaska, Africa, and K2, he was with Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi.
Vittorio kept climbing even when he was old. He tried to climb the Matterhorn again at 76 years old. That attempt did not succeed because one of his guides got hurt.
Capturing Mountains with a Camera
.jpg)
The amazing quality of Sella's photographs came from using very large photographic plates. These plates were 30 by 40 centimeters (about 12 by 16 inches). It was very hard to carry such big, fragile equipment to remote mountain areas.
To solve this problem, Vittorio invented special gear. He created modified pack saddles and rucksacks. These helped him carry the large glass plates safely without breaking them.
His photographs were shown in many places and were highly praised. A famous photographer named Ansel Adams saw some of Sella's pictures. He said they made him feel "a definitely religious awe."
Many of the mountains Vittorio photographed had never been recorded before. This makes his pictures historically important, not just artistic. For example, his photos of the Rwenzori mountains in Central Africa show how glaciers have shrunk over time.
His Lasting Impact
Vittorio Sella passed away in Biella in 1943. His huge collection of photographs is now looked after by the Sella Foundation (Fondazione Sella) in Biella. You can see many of his pictures there online.
Some of Sella's photos are also on display in the Museo Nazionale della Montagna "Duca degli Abruzzi" in Turin. Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, owns some of his pictures of the Rwenzori mountains.
Works
