Black and white

The photograph depicts Shnorig Guvezian and Stepan Eramian on the day of their wedding (14 February 1913). The way to the altar was not smooth for this groom, who had to ask his beloved three times until she agreed to marry him. For the occasion Shenouk is dressed in a white western-style, ankle-length and sleeved wedding dress. A long, transparent, decorated veil is attached to a flower crown resting on top of her head. The bride is also wearing white shoes and white gloves, and is holding a bouquet of flowers. Stepan is wearing a dark western-style suit with a long jacket over a vest closed with buttons, also a white shirt and a bow tie.

This photograph shows Huliane Eramian in 1871. Her hair has been pinned up to form a most elaborate coiffure decorated with flowers. She is wearing a jacket over a white blouse edged with frills, as well as earrings.

The photograph shows Hanemie, Marie, Elbisse and Elise. All four women are wearing floor-length casual dresses with long sleeves and collars. Two of the dresses are dark-coloured, the third of a lighter hue and the fourth white. All four women have their hair caught up and are sitting on the steps of a staircase.

The photograph commemorates the wedding of Elbisse Eramian and Raphael Armadouni on 11 July 1920. He had to change his profession, move to Paris and wait for four years in order to be accepted as her groom to the family. The bride is wearing an elegant, white, floor-length and long-sleeved wedding dress decorated with a series of probably artificial flowers, from the neckline down to the hem of the dress, on her left side. Encircling her waist is a belt. The bride’s attire is complemented with a long transparent veil, which is attached to a flower crown on top of her head. She is also wearing white gloves and is holding with her right hand the groom’s right hand. Her hair is caught up. The groom is wearing a tall fez, a black western-style suit with a long jacket over a white shirt with a white bow tie, and black shoes. The couple is standing in front of an apse formed with transparent white curtains, which are made of bright patterned cloth similar to that of the wedding dress.

The photograph depicts the Krikorian family in 1899, probably in Damascus. The men are all wearing dark western-style suits, white shirts with high collars and bow ties or ties. The women’s appearance offers a panorama of European-style urban garments at the close of the 19th century; they follow a similar fashion style, despite the use of different fabrics: long dresses or skirts, blouses with a variety of decorated collars, puffed sleeves and accentuated, close-fitting waists. The appearance also varies according to the age. Most interesting are the boys’ suits with long trousers and jackets, and the elaborate dresses of the little girls sitting on a carpet in the front part of the photograph.

This photograph of Vartouhi Krikorian (née Papazian, 1876-1963) shows only the upper part of her dark-coloured, sleeved dress. It has a square opening on the chest and a double collar (?) with folds on both sides, decorated by a series of six buttons. She is also wearing small earrings. On the lower left corner of the photograph is shown embossed the name of the Armenian photographer B. Karamikian from Damascus.

Photograph of Emma Rahbeh (1886-1964), daughter of Perouze Ohannes Papazian and Joseph Rahbeh. She is wearing a long, high-collared dress with intricate decoration around the neck. The long sleeves are puffed on the upper part and close-fitting to the wrist. Emma has long hair falling over the chest on her left side.

Artistic photograph of Antonia Caruana (later Rahbeh, 1908-2000). She is wearing a light-coloured dress that exposes her shoulder and back. The dress is fastened to a strap, which is made of a series of small artificial flowers. Her hair is styled in a short haircut. Her make-up is clearly visible and impressive: dark lipstick, heavy eyeshadow and black-painted thin eyebrows. The beauty mark above her upper lip could be natural, however it was also fashionable to paint in on.

The photograph shows Adele Shellish and her husband Atilio Carletti. It was taken outdoors, c. 1920. He is wearing a western-style everyday suit over a white shirt. The dark jacket and the vest, made of the same material, are combined with light-coloured trousers and black shoes. Adele is wearing a white, long-sleeved blouse with a V-shaped opening, and a lighter in colour, high-waisted, rather narrow, and ankle-length skirt, also white heeled shoes and stockings.

The photograph was taken in 1913 and shows Yeranig & Elvira Carletti, mother and daughter. Yeranig is wearing a blouse with elbow-length sleeves and a floor-length skirt. Elvira Carletti is wearing a long western-style, light-coloured dress with medium-length sleeves. Encircling her waist is a dark belt and from her neck is hanging a necklace. Both outfits are elegant and accentuate the ladies’ figures. They are wearing similar dark-coloured shoes and stockings. Their coiffure is also similar, with their hair caught up.