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May 25, 2006
Long Time Ago When We Were Fab
Florida Cracker has found some absolutely stunning color photographs from Imperial Russia.
This photo was taken in 1909.
Old photos like this, especially of children, always give me a bit of the willies because I know that in all likelihood all these children are dead of old age.
These pictures are just gorgeous.
Update: Could this be the first color photo of a sunset? Ever?
How friggin' cool is that?
Posted by Mr. Bingley at May 25, 2006 01:57 PM
Comments
It's not that those kids are likely dead that gets me so much as thinking of the twin shitstorms that are about to hit them over the course of their adult lives in the Revolution / Civil War and WWII.
That generation of Russians drew the short straw in the historical lottery.
And look at their filthy feet! (Can you tell I have kids?)
Posted by: John at May 25, 2006 03:11 PM
Yeah, they didn't have too many more idyllic summer days ahead of them did they?
I didn't notice the feet!
Did you check out the sunset? How very cool.
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at May 25, 2006 03:19 PM
Good call John. That was my thought seeing them as well. I tend to do that with many old photos of the early 20th century. Kind of like watching the mile long stretch or German soldiers marching into captivity after Stalingrad. Very few would be seen again
Posted by: WunderKraut at May 25, 2006 03:27 PM
From the looks of it, those kids would have been as old as I am now in the summer of 1941. Living through WWI, the Civil War, the Red Terror, the Great Famine, the show trials, and WWII before you hit 40 is one hell of a life. Just not a hell of a good one.
Posted by: John at May 25, 2006 03:41 PM
Cool photos, THS! But it is sad, rather wondering which of those kids grew up to be adults.
Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at May 25, 2006 06:44 PM
I've seen these before, and I hope to make it to the LOC while the exhibit's still running. Images of an utterly lost world, yet as vivid as if they were taken this morning...I'm blown away and at a loss for words.
Posted by: Dave J at May 25, 2006 11:52 PM
JeffS - The blond girl closest to the camera is rich enough to have shoes. I'll lay even money she did not live to adulthood under the Communists. Nothing says "kulak" like a nice pair of shoes on your kid.
Posted by: John at May 26, 2006 08:00 AM