Vargas, Carlos y Miguel

The brothers Carlos and Miguel Vargas were born and lived in the Peruvian city of Arequipa, where they ran one of the most prestigious photographic studios. They were known for their bromide oil portraits and for their night shots, a modality in which they were pioneers in Peru at the time. It is very likely that thanks to them, Martín Chambi became interested in light and shadow effects. During their long years of profession, they portrayed members of Arequipa's society, the streets and monuments of the city, as well as the indigenous population. Their elegant and reputable studio also served as an exhibition hall, where the work of indigenous painters was first shown in the 1920s. Likewise, Martín Chambi and Figueroa Aznar held their first exhibitions there. Max T. Vargas probably did not belong to the Vargas family. Unfortunately, their archive has disappeared.