Most often the color palette that we associate with history is limited to black and white only. But have you ever imagined what did people, their outfits and backgrounds looked like in real life – in color? Members of this one group on reddit, called r/ColorizedHistory, sure have: they pick historic photos that we have only seen in black and white, and bring them back to life by digitally coloring them. Of course, some interpretation and imagination is used in the process, but all of the artists try to work with as much historical accuracy as possible.

Even though the idea looks simple, the final image has a surprisingly touching effect: by seeing those historic moments in color, we can relate to them easier, and this makes the pictures a whole lot more powerful. Instead of seeing those photos like we’re used to in history books, we now meet people that seem a lot more real, and situations – war scenes, for example – that look as if they have just happened.

It’s nice to see that the community of history fans is growing, and that people want to make it relevant to others. However, this has also sparked some discussion, as some say that the artists are just messing with historic facts and misinforming people. So, view it critically. For more old photographs restored in color, check out the works of Sanna Dullaway and redditor mygrapefruit from Sweden.

via: twistedsifter

1. Abandoned Boy Holding a Stuffed Toy Animal. London 1945historic-photos-colorized-1-2

Colorozed by: HansLucifer

historic-photos-colorized-1-1Image credits: Toni Frissel

2. Albert Einstein, Summer 1939 Nassau Point, Long Island, NYhistoric-photos-colorized-8-2

Colorozed by: Edvos

historic-photos-colorized-8-1Image credits: canasanta.com

3. Young Boy in Baltimore Slum Area, July 1938historic-photos-colorized-14-2

Colorozed by: photojacker

historic-photos-colorized-14-1Image credits: John Vachon

4. Elizabeth Taylor – Giant (1956 film)historic-photos-colorized-20-2

Colorozed by: malakon

historic-photos-colorized-20-1Image credits: Frank Worth

5. Hindenburg Disaster – May 6, 1937historic-photos-colorized-2-2

Colorozed by: Dana Keller

historic-photos-colorized-2-1Image credits: Murray Becker

6. Japanese Archers, circa 1860historic-photos-colorized-3-2

Colorozed by: photojacker

historic-photos-colorized-3-1Image credits: badasshistoricalpictures.com

7. View from Capitol in Nashville, Tennessee During the Civil War, 1864

historic-photos-colorized-4-2Colorozed by: Sanna Dullaway

historic-photos-colorized-4-1Image credits: nashville.about.com

8. Unemployed Lumber Worker, circa 1939

historic-photos-colorized-5-2Colorozed by: zuzahin

historic-photos-colorized-5-1Image credits: alafoto.com

9. Auto Wreck in Washington D.C, 1921

historic-photos-colorized-6-2Colorozed by: Sanna Dullaway

historic-photos-colorized-6-1Image credits: hqdesktop.net

10. Big Jay McNeely Driving the Crowd at the Olympic Auditorium into a Frenzy, Los Angeles, 1953

historic-photos-colorized-7-2Colorozed by: traquea

historic-photos-colorized-7-1Image credits: Bob Willoughby

11. W.H. Murphy and his Associate Demonstrating their Bulletproof Vest on October 13, 1923

historic-photos-colorized-13-2Colorozed by: zuzahin

historic-photos-colorized-13-1Image credits: National Photo Company

12. Audrey Hepburn

historic-photos-colorized-9-2Colorozed by: Danna Keller

historic-photos-colorized-9-1Image credits: wallpaperswa.com

13. ‘Old Gold’, Country Store, 1939

historic-photos-colorized-10-2Colorozed by: photojacker

historic-photos-colorized-10-1Image credits: Dorothea Lange

14. Joseph Goebbels Scowling at Photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt after Finding out he’s Jewish, 1933

historic-photos-colorized-11-2Colorozed by: photojacker

historic-photos-colorized-11-1Image credits: life.time.com

15. Nikola Tesla, 1893

historic-photos-colorized-12-2Colorozed by: Danna Keller

historic-photos-colorized-12-1Image credits: Napoleon Sarony

16. British Troops Cheerfully Board their Train for the First Stage of their Trip to the Western Front – England, September 20, 1939

historic-photos-colorized-15-2Colorozed by: BenAfleckIsAnOkActor

historic-photos-colorized-15-1Image credits: photosofwar.net

17. Oscar II, King of Sweden and Norway, 1880

historic-photos-colorized-16-2Colorozed by: Sanna Dullaway

historic-photos-colorized-16-1Image credits: realeza.foros.ws

18. Walt Whitman, 1887

historic-photos-colorized-17-2Colorozed by: Danna Keller

historic-photos-colorized-17-1Image credits: studiotv.com.au

19. Mark Twain in the Garden, circa 1900

historic-photos-colorized-18-2Colorozed by: zuzahin

historic-photos-colorized-18-1Image credits: imgur.com

20. Charlie Chaplin at the Age of 27, 1916

historic-photos-colorized-19-2Colorozed by: BenAfleckIsAnOkActor

historic-photos-colorized-19-1Image credits: wikipedia.org

Susține activitatea Modernism.RO printr-o donație.