A month ago Webphemera profiled the amazing colour photography of Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky. This Russian pioneer went around his country capturing - in full and glorious colour - the Russia of the Tsar. His project began in 1909. Yes, that is right - 1909. Take a look at another set of his gorgeous photographs which give us a window in to a world long since vanished.

This image illustrates the modern history

of Russia in a particularly chilling way. Northwest of Moscow, the Nilova Monastery stands, in 1915 as a functioning institution of the Russian Orthodox Church. The sheer blueness of this picture is stunning and it captures the contemplative nature of the way of life within its walls perfectly. It was confiscated by the communist regime in 1927 and was used for a number of purposes, including an orphanage and, rather more insidiously, a concentration camp. It was restored to the church in 1990 after the fall of communism and has now reverted to its original purpose.

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