Restitutions Maksay

           Paul Păltănea History Museum of Galaţi owns MAKSAY collection, named after photographers George and Jean Maksay from Galaţi.

           Made of objects donated by their descendants in 1976 (the family of Areti-Ecaterina, the daughter of Anton Maksay, and Constantin Mastacan), or purchased from them in 1981, the collection contains museum items from various fields, conferring to it a multiple significance: documents, photographs, items of furniture  and clothing (of Maksay family); photography equipment and technical accessories  glass and celluloid negatives, photographs, documents, a mini-collection of specialty magazines – “Revista fotografică română”, “Fotografia”- (belonging to the studio of the two photographers). On the whole and each in its place, analysed per category or individually, these museum assets reveal important characteristics of the lifestyle of the family of the two professionals who raised the photographic technique to the rank of art and left a valuable legacy to posterity, conclusive visual proofs of the importance of the historical and socio-political events, as well as of the daily reality they witnessed.

           The progress of scientific research of this collection makes it possible to compile a selective collection catalogue to be made of two parts.
The first part shall bring to the fore biographic data of George and Jean Maksay, landmarks of their family lifestyle, as well as of the activity of the two photographers, dedicated to immortalizing the reality of Galaţi town, in their days (as George and Jean Maksay captured through their camera lenses with a talent and professionalism worthy of being passed on from father to son).

           In the second part, we will present other characteristics of the two photographers’ work: pictures (personalities and events, anonymous faces, varia) – faithful witnesses of the contemporary reality as seen by the two photographers; used technical equipment; documents concerning the activity of the studio; specialty documentary sources (which ensured their continual professional improvement).

           Illustrated catalogue shall include the images of the museum assets, observing the order of their description in the chapters.

dr. Elena-Ingrid BAHAMAT

George and Ion (Jean) Mihail Maksay, the photographers from Galaţi

          Galaţi ranks among the towns in which the photographic art is promoted rather early (around 1855), the first prodigious studios being those led by Otto Bielig (as from 1855) and E. Carrez (as from 1863). From 1900 until 1947, George and Jean Mihai Maksay were the owners of a company which had the first the status of an workshop and then of the Photographic Studio - Glob, having the privilege of being supplier of the Royal House of Romania, being renown for the quality of their artistic work.

           The generic brand “Foto Studio Maksay” on negatives films, photos and albums represented a brand of the photographic profession and art not only for the town on the Danube, as participant and contestant in high-profile manifestations, for instance in the Universal Exposition of Paris (1900) and the International Exposition of Artistic Photographs of Chişinău (1928), in various shows organised by the Society of Belle-Arte; their signature was also abbreviated on certain sets of photographs included in the Encyclopaedia of Romania (Bucharest, 1938-1943) and in some national photo albums and picture libraries of some important cultural establishments (libraries and museums).

           The name of photographer George Maksay is also linked to the issuing of the oldest Romanian illustrated postcard, reproducing images from the cycle Inondations de Galatz (Juin 1897, Galaţi, Str. Portului) as well as the passion of the notorious stamp collector, who was forced, in time, to sell some of his valuable pieces to the future stamp collector, our fellow citizen, Engineer Constantin Apostolide.

           Many significant moments from the history of Galaţi were captured by the lenses of George and Jean-Mihai Maksay. Six decades of passionate work led to an impressive collection of spiritual artefacts “about what was in older days”. The Maksays founded their work on the representation and illustrative rounding of many personalities and events.

 “Photographers George and Jean-Mihai Maksay” Collection

           The substantial collection entitled “Photographers George and Jean Mihail  Maksay”, founded on the donation and purchase offers made on the 21st of February 1976 by spouses Ecaterina-Arety (Maksay) and Constantin D. Mastacan represents, for “Paul Păltănea” History Museum of Galaţi, a documentary, historical and technical resource of high interest, doubled by the patrimonial-cultural-technical value (equipment and negatives library). These are bivalent and reconstituting elements which may allow the recreation of a modern photographic workshop and studio from Romania in the years 1895-1947, respectively, a possible technical and historical retrospective of the evolution of photography and a way of museological exploitation (based on catalogue and exhibitions).

prof. univ. dr. Dan RÂPĂ-BUICLIU