In the early years of the 20th century, the Swiss photographer and philhellene Frédéric Boissonnas (1858-1946) traveled extensively to Greece, capturing dozens of stunning images of Greek village and island life.

Boissonnas was the most prolific travel photographer at the time, and his love affair with Greece and her people is evident from the care and attention to his images of everyday Greek life — captured on film in detail for the first time.

See the collection below.

59 of Boissonnas’ stunning photographs of Greece between 1903-1920

Filiates, 1913.

Filiates, 1913.

Priest in a destroyed church in Kastri, Preveza, 1913.

At the Rigas family house in Paramythia, 1913.

Paramythia, 1913.

Meatmarkets of Paramythia, 1913.

Parga, 1913.

The bridge of Arta, 1913.

Ioannina, 1913.

Athinas Street, Athens 1920.

Konitsa, 1913.

Konitsa, 1913.

Village of Bagia, Zagori, 1913.

Metsovo, 1913.

Metsovo, 1913.

Village of Kavalari, Zagori, 1913.

Village of Delvinaki, near Ioannina, 1913.

Men in the street with their dog. Preveza, 1913.

A guard in Macedonia, 1911.

Macedonia, 1911.

View of the Acropolis from Thiseio (undated photograph).

Klissoura, near Kastoria, 1911.

Edessa, 1908.

Island of Ios, 1918.

A windmill in the village of Maroneia, 1903.

Women of Amorgos, 1903.

Sheep herders on top of Mt. Parnassos. 1903.

At the village of Kokkinopoulo, Elassona, 1913.

Inside a mountain refuge on Mt. Olympus, 1914.

Climbing Mt. Olympus, 1914.

A celebration in Gastouri, Kerkyra, 1903.

Sheep under the Acropolis, 1903.

In the village of Gastouri, Kerkyra, 1903.

Women of Kerkyra in the countryside, 1903.

Monk, Mt. Athos 1929.

Interior of a monastery, Mt. Athos 1929.

Mt. Athos, Monastery of Vatopedi, 1929.

Mt. Athos, Monastery of Megisti Lavra, 1929.

Lagadia, Arkadia, 1903.

Akrata, 1903.

A priest and his family in Zemeno, 1913.

A family in Zemeno, Corinth, 1903.

Parthenon, 1908.

The photographer and his companion, Daniel Baud-Bovy, celebrate with locals in Zemeno, Corinth, 1903.

Zemeno, Corinth area. A priest and his family, 1903.

Meteora 1908. The photographer being hoisted up to a monastery.

Meteora, 1908.

Crete 1919, porch of a house.

Gathering olives in Preveli, Crete 1911.

Interior of a house in Lakki, Crete 1911.

The Mandaka brothers in the village of Lakki, Crete, 1911.

Interior of a Cretan house, 1911.

Athens, Plaka, 1920.

Omalos, Crete 1911.

Men in the street, Andritsena, 1903.

Andritsena house, 1903.

Andritsena market, 1903.

Kifissia, 1920.

Ermou Street, Athens 1920.