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Studio Portraits

Formal studio portraits from the late 1800s to early 1900s. Source archive and rights statement on every image.

10 portraits · free to download

Commercial studios of this period worked to a recognisable formula: a painted backdrop, a column or balustrade, a chair, and the sitter's best clothing, sometimes borrowed for the occasion. Exposures still ran long enough that stillness mattered, and concealed headrests helped, which is part of why so many sitters look solemn rather than unhappy. For most families a studio portrait was an occasional expense marking a departure, a marriage or a death.

This collection is still small — 10 portraits so far, below the 12 needed for a full hub. It grows as the archive does. Browse the fuller collections.