When can the exhibition be seen?

The exhibition starts on October 18, 2026, at 10 AM and can be seen until February 21, 2027.

Where is the exhibition taking place?

The exhibition takes place at the Sorbian Museum Cottbus or Serbski muzej at Mühlenstraße 12 in 03046 Cottbus.

What is the admission price?

The admission price is 5 Euros per person.

Which works will be shown?

For the first time, a selection of about 200 glass negatives by Denis Galloway will be shown, featuring portraits, traditional costumes, working worlds, landscapes, and rituals from Lower Lusatia and the Spreewald.

Are there guided tours or educational offers?

Information on guided tours and other educational offers will follow.

Is the exhibition accessible for people with disabilities?

Information on accessibility will follow.

Discover Faces of a Time: Historical Photography Preserves the Lusatian Life World

Name: Denis Galloway – Woblica from the Seen House / Faces of a Time
Start: 2026-10-18T10:00:00+02:00
End: 2027-02-21T17:00:00+01:00
Location: Wendisches Museum Cottbus / Serbski muzej

Faces of a Time: Photographic Memories of the Sorbs in the Spreewald

The Sorbian Museum Cottbus presents for the first time a selection from approximately 200 glass negatives of the Scottish ethnographer, photographer, and artist Denis Galloway. The exhibition takes visitors to Lower Lusatia and the Spreewald between the years 1908 and 1914 and combines historical photography with Sorbian-Wendish cultural history and cultural education.

An Archive of Glass and Light

Galloway's photographs preserve faces, gestures, and life worlds of a Sorbian-Wendish society. The special materiality of the glass negatives lends a quiet precision to the images: fine contrasts, clear outlines, and a concentrated visual effect make the historical recordings immediately perceptible.

Portraits of a Past Life World

At the center are people from the region, their traditional costumes, working worlds, and rituals. Portraits of children and women, scenes from the fields and markets, as well as recordings of significant events like weddings open a nuanced examination of the work. The photographs do not present themselves merely as ethnographic documents but as poignant visual testimonies of individual stories and cultural belonging.

Between Photography and Memory Culture

Denis Galloway, born in 1878 in Scotland, worked as a traveling ethnographer and photographer in various European regions. His recordings from Lusatia, from Wittichenau, and the Spreewald form a valuable visual memory of the early 20th century. The original glass negatives reached the Ethnographic Museum in Cluj-Napoca in 1950, were later digitized, and made publicly accessible through the online portal Europeana.

Aesthetic Experience in the Museum

The atmosphere of the exhibition arises from the interplay of historical image material, fine shades of gray, and the concentrated spatial effect of the photographs. A conscious examination of the work directs the view to clothing, body postures, architecture, and landscapes. Thus, an artistic experience develops that connects visual fascination with questions of identity, tradition, and regional history.

Conclusion: A Photographic Journey Through Lusatia

The exhibition Denis Galloway – Woblica from the Seen House / Faces of a Time awaits visitors with rare historical photographs, impressive portraits, and a sensitive connection of art, ethnography, and memory culture. Those who want to not only read about the Sorbian-Wendish history of Lusatia but also experience it immediately through faces, gestures, and images should definitely visit this exhibition live at the Sorbian Museum Cottbus.