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15 Photos Of Victorians Being Silly

We often think of the Victorian era, (the period of Queen Victoria’s reign, from 1837 to 1901), as a time when everything was Serious. Victorian people had to follow strict etiquette covering every part of life, with so no room for fun of any kind.

And we might think because of the era’s photography. Back then cameras were in their infancy – Louis Daguerre had only introduced the daguerrotype in 1839. In order to make a photographic image, a camera had to expose the film for anywhere between a few seconds to 15 minutes. Victorians had to sit completely still without making facial expressions or else the film was ruined. Early photography didn’t leave much room for silliness, so that’s why most Victorians look like they were born without the ability to laugh or even smile.

Photo Credit: BBC

Which makes no sense, if you think about it. It’s not like laughter was only invented in the 1930s. As cameras became more sophisticated, photography subjects had the freedom to finally let loose. The result is a few rare photos that show a different side of Victorians than we usually see. What’s even more remarkable is that some of the behavior in these photos isn’t much different from what we do today.

1. Here’s a Victorian couple who came down with a case of the giggles.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

2. Who needs a coffee table?

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

3. Friends doing a “cakewalk” dance, a popular dancing style of the time.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

4. Two Victorian ladies, putting your snowman game to shame.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

5. Cross dressing was a thing then too, as shown by these three Yale students in 1883.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

6. Head stacking photos? The Victorians had them figured out.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

7. This is one of the earliest “jump” photos.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

Every wedding today is required to take a jump photo, all thanks to this woman.

8. A suit of armor is an opportunity for something epic.

Photo Credit: Brain Jet

9. Hitting the beach with the squad.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

10. Even the rich and powerful took goofy photos, like Tsar Nicholas II (on the left) and his family.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

11. And his daughter, Anastasia.

Photo Credit: Mashable

12. Something about cameras just brings out the funny faces.

Photo Credit: Brain Jet

13. If you wanted to smile for a photo back then, this was what you had to do.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

Side note: that waist, though…

14. An early example of a pig nose.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

15. And finally, we have proof that people have always loved dressing up their pets.

Photo Credit: Brain Jet

 

h/t: Bored Panda and Brain Jet

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