Manipulating photos to create a more favorable image has been around as long as photography itself. Commonly referred to today as “Photoshopping,” images were manipulated so as to modify the human figure to more closely resemble the “ideal” body type of the era. In the case of 19th Century images, there was a heavy emphasis on a narrow waist and especially during the 1890s. Below is one interesting example of “photoshopping” with this interesting portrait of the Archduchess Maria Christina Henriette Desideria Felicitas Raineria of Austria who became Queen of Spain in 1879.1We were unable to find a specific date when this picture was taken but supposedly it was around 1891, which seems consistent with the style.
Fairly standard as far as portraits of the period go but take a closer look above the hips…
One can just barely make out where the sides were airbrushed in so as to accentuate the waist. The outlines of the original shape can still be seen but with the editing, the already wasp-waist is further accentuated. We’ve come across quite a few examples looking at period pictures and it just goes to show that when it comes to fashion, nothing is really new. 🙂