Nelly: The Neoclassical Photographer Who Defied Convention

Elli Sougioultzoglou-Seraidari (1899–1998), known as Nelly, was a Greek photographer who blended modern subjects with ancient Greek aesthetics, reviving Neoclassicism. Born in Aidini (Aydın), Ottoman Empire, she fled to Smyrni during the Greco-Turkish war and later studied photography in Dresden under Hugo Erfurth and Franz Fiedler. In 1924, she opened a studio in Athens, working for the Ministry of Culture and collaborating with Angelos Sikelianos and Dimitrios Kambouroglou. From 1924 to 1939, she documented Greek life, focusing on Asia Minor refugees and archaeological sites. In 1939, she moved to New York for the Greek pavilion at the World's Fair, staying 27 years, opening a studio on 57th Street, and connecting with Eleanor Roosevelt. Her works were acquired by the Metropolitan Museum. She returned to Greece in 1966 and donated her archives to the Benaki Museum in 1985. Nelly faced backlash for photographing nudes at the Acropolis, defended by writer Pavlos Nirvanas and archaeologist Alexander Philadelpheus. She was awarded the Order of the Phoenix. Critics later compared her to Leni Riefenstahl, accusing her of promoting racial purity, though she maintained she was fascinated by classical beauty.