Marc Ferrez

Who was Marc Ferrez?

Marc Ferrez was a Brazilian photographer born in Rio de Janeiro.

Marc Ferrez was the son of the French sculptor and engraver Zepherin Ferrez who moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1816 as a member of the Missão Artística Francesa organized by Joachim Lebreton.

Ferrez's life was dedicated to the art of photography and he is considered one of the greatest photographers of his time. His production was massive, and his photographs document the consolidation of Brazil as a nation and Rio de Janeiro as a metropolis. His career was energized when he made part of Professor Charles Hartt's Geological Commission which covered the north and south of the country.

In 1865, Ferrez opened his own studio at Rua São José, in the center of Rio de Janeiro, which was by that time the capital of the Brazilian empire. He was made Photographo da Marinha Imperial and his work with images increased through his life. He photographed Brazil from south to north, but paid more attention to his home city, Rio de Janeiro. His masterpieces are the great albums of railway constructions and the great panoramic views of the city of Rio de Janeiro and its development.