The definition of beauty has evolved drastically over the time. Every country has its version of what a woman should look like to be considered beautiful. In 19th century Persia, the Western beauty standards were not dominant. So of course, they had their own beauty standards and their own concept of beauty. The more masculineContinue reading “Portraits of Zahra Khanom Tadj es-Saltaneh, the Beauty Symbol of Persia For Whom 13 Men Committed Suicide When She Refused to Marry Them”
Tag Archives: 1900s
How To Take a Steam Bath, And Other Victorian Visual Health Guides
This French edition of Friedrich Eduard Bilz’s 1888 naturopathic medicine guide Das Neue Naturheilverfahren (The New Natural Healing) is charmingly illustrated in the familiar style of early twentieth-century medical art. It offers visual directions to various methods of curing disease, from steam baths to massage to swimming and is one of the best of itsContinue reading “How To Take a Steam Bath, And Other Victorian Visual Health Guides”
Boxing and How to Train, 1904
The origins of the Speed Bag as we know it today are shrouded in mystery. Certain historical artifacts depict ancient boxers of Greece and Rome hitting a bag like object probably filled with some material or water. These were almost certainly animal skins or some other material, for the modern rubber air bladders of todayContinue reading “Boxing and How to Train, 1904”
The Forgotten Story of Audrey Munson, America’s First Supermodel Who Ended Up Living in Psychiatric Asylum for 65 Years
You may never have heard of Audrey Munson, but you’ve probably seen her face if you’ve spent any time in New York. Its similarity can be seen across the city, from Adolph Weinman’s golden figure on top of the Manhattan Municipal Building to the New York Public Library’s carved stone façade on Fifth Avenue. BornContinue reading “The Forgotten Story of Audrey Munson, America’s First Supermodel Who Ended Up Living in Psychiatric Asylum for 65 Years”
15 Interesting Vintage Photos of People Dressed in Bat Costumes From the Early 20th Century
Before the Batman character that we all know to be created in 1939 to appear in Detective Comics #27, bat costumes were already popular for a long time, with illustrations and photographs that date back at least until from 1887.
Mugshots of Bertha Boronda, the Woman Who Was Arrested for Cutting Off Her Husband’s Penis With a Razor in 1907
Bertha Boronda was sentenced to five years in prison for “Mayhem” in 1908. What’s “Mayhem” you ask? Apparently in Bertha’s case, it’s cutting off your cheating husband’s penis with a straight razor, disguising yourself as a man and fleeing by bicycle. Bertha and her husband, Frank Boronda, had been married about 6 years when herContinue reading “Mugshots of Bertha Boronda, the Woman Who Was Arrested for Cutting Off Her Husband’s Penis With a Razor in 1907”
Cross Section of the Midship Section of the RMS Olympic, 1909
RMS Olympic was a British ocean liner and the lead ship of the White Star Line’s trio of Olympic-class liners. Unlike the other ships in the class, Olympic had a career spanning 24 years from 1911 to 1935. This included service as a troopship during the First World War, which gained her the nickname, OldContinue reading “Cross Section of the Midship Section of the RMS Olympic, 1909”
Believe It or Not: Human Zoos Really Existed in the Past, And There Are Pictures to Prove It
Have you ever heard of a human zoo? A human zoo was a place (and yes, they really existed in the past) where people were kept for display, just like animals are kept in zoos. The displays often emphasized the cultural differences between Europeans of Western civilization and non-European peoples or with other Europeans whoContinue reading “Believe It or Not: Human Zoos Really Existed in the Past, And There Are Pictures to Prove It”
Rare Photographs of Mark Twain and His Beloved Cats From the 1900s
Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, is referenced in libraries across the world, and, while ranking his best works may keep literary critics busy, his preference in pets is unmistakably cut-and-dry. Mark Twain liked cats more than he liked people. “If man could be crossed with the cat,” he wrote, “it would improve man,Continue reading “Rare Photographs of Mark Twain and His Beloved Cats From the 1900s”
14 Historical Nebraska Mug Shots from the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries
Photography revolutionized crime investigations. Beginning in the mid 1800s, police photographed the faces of known criminals. Called “mug shots” (after the British slang word “mug” meaning “face”) these images replaced drawings and descriptions on wanted posters. Scientists even studied mug shots to see if physical traits could predict criminal behavior. The Nebraska State Penitentiary usedContinue reading “14 Historical Nebraska Mug Shots from the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries”
