Image © Ella Maillart, Désert du Tsaïdam, 3’000 m alt. Fin mai, mont Kitin Kara, dans la
chaîne des Kuen Lun, 1935, Qinghai, République de Chine © Succession
Ella Maillart et Photo Elysée, Lausanne
A life devoted to travel and discovery
Born in Geneva in 1903, Ella Maillart quickly established herself as a pioneer. A sailor, athlete, writer and photographer, she explored little-known territories with rare curiosity and remarkable independence.
Between 1930 and 1939, she undertook four major journeys across the Soviet Union, China, Afghanistan and Iran. Camera in hand, she documented the societies she encountered and captured the profound transformations of a changing world.
Ella Maillart, Sans titre, 1935, République de Chine © Succession Ella Maillart et Photo Elysée, Lausanne
Photographing history in the making
The exhibition retraces these journeys through a subtle dialogue between images and texts. Ella Maillart’s photographs, often accompanied by her handwritten notes, bear witness to major upheavals: the Sovietization of Central Asia, the transformation of post-imperial China, and geopolitical tensions in Manchuria.
At the heart of this body of work, an impressive card index — composed of hundreds of documents combining images and notes — allows visitors to relive her itineraries with almost intimate precision. Together, they form a valuable testimony at the crossroads of reportage, literature and historical archives.
Ella Maillart, Un Karakirghize avec des lunettes chinoises, 1932, République soviétique socialiste autonome kirghize, URSS © Succession Ella Maillart et Photo Elysée, Lausanne
International recognition
In 2025, UNESCO inscribed Ella Maillart’s archives in the Memory of the World Register, recognizing the universal significance of her work. Preserved by Photo Elysée and the Bibliothèque de Genève, they reflect a unique perspective in a field long dominated by men.
Ella Maillart, Un Karakirghize avec des lunettes chinoises, 1932, République soviétique socialiste autonome kirghize, URSS © Succession Ella Maillart et Photo Elysée, Lausanne
An exhibition between memory and transmission
Through this exhibition, Photo Elysée celebrates far more than an explorer: a voice, a vision, a way of inhabiting the world. Through photography and writing, Ella Maillart invites us to slow down, observe, and understand.
👉 To know more about Ella Maillart and her facinating life
Informations :
From March 6th to November 1st 2026
Monday: 10 am-6 pm
Tuesday : closed (MCBA open)
Wednesday : 10 am-6 pm
Thursday : 10 am-8 pm
Friday : 10 am-6 pm
Saturday : 10 am-6 pm
Sunday : 10 am-6 pm
PHOTO ÉLYSÉE
Place de la Gare 17
1003 Lausanne – Suisse
Tél : +41 21 318 41 00
Email : info@elysee.ch
Site : elysee.ch