Anastas Jovanovi?, The first Serbian photographer

Abstract

Anastas Jovanovi? was one of the first photographers in the world, and a contemporary of Talbot. He was educated in the arts, and exceptionally productive as a photographic enthusiast and professional, and a great many of his works having survived. It is all the more regrettable that Jovanovi? has remained virtually unknown to this day, except for mention in a few Yugoslav publication^1–10 and a rare article or reference abroad^11–14. In an attempt to remedy this situation, an exhibition was held at the Gallery of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (August–October 1977), in Belgrade. It was the cultural event of the year, and a comprehensive catalogue of 420 pages was issued on that occasion.