20 Colorized Photos From The 1800s

It’s hard to connect with photos from the past when we see them in black and white. The lack of color can make the people and events captured seem distant, almost like they belong to another world. But when those same photos are brought to life with color, something profound happens: history becomes more relatable.

In these photos, we see life in the 1800s through a different lens, one that brings the past closer and helps us recognize the familiar moments, emotions, and struggles that connect us to those who came before us. By revealing the details of their daily lives, these images bridge the gap between us and our ancestors. Here are 20 colorized photos from the 1800s that breathe new life into history.

1. Annie Oakley posing with her rifle, 1890s

A colorized vintage photo of Annie Oakley in old western attire with a wide-brimmed hat sits sideways on a chair, resting her head on one hand and holding a rifle across her lap, against a blurred outdoor background.
vorst17735

Annie Oakley was an incredible marksman from a young age. At just 15 years old, she won a shooting contest against Frank Butler, a professional sharpshooter who eventually became her husband.

2. An 1800s cowboy colorized

colorized vintage photos from the 1800s - A cowboy wearing a wide-brimmed hat, scarf, and chaps sits on a saddled brown horse in a grassy outdoor setting, with ropes and gear hanging from the saddle.
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It’s incredible how color breathes life into photos like this.

3. Recruiting sergeants outside of a pub in Westminster, 1877

A group of uniformed soldiers stands on a city sidewalk near a building, engaged in conversation. Sunlight filters through trees, and a large, blurred historic building is visible in the background. Other pedestrians pass by.
marinamaral

Standing outside of a pub and trying to recruit soldiers is nothing short of unfair. Imagine how many drunks woke up and found out they needed to go to war.

4. A late 1800s samurai

A samurai in traditional armor looks to the side. The detailed armor features patterns, blue and gold tones, and intricate lacing, with the person’s hair tied back. The photo has a soft, hand-colored effect.
gemini52398

When people colorize old photos, they have to research what colors were popular during that period.

Related: 19 Photos of Real Samurai from the 1800s

5. A woman from New Athens in the late 1800s

A young woman in a formal dark blue dress with puffed sleeves sits in profile. She has brown hair pinned up with a decorative clasp and wears a pink necktie. The background is plain and light-colored.
memorylanepr

Though AI now has the ability to colorize photos in just minutes, hand-colorized photos have a more natural feel to them.

6. Young twins from Ohio

Two young girls who appear to be twins stand side by side, wearing matching white dresses with ruffled collars. Their light brown hair is styled similarly, and they pose in front of a neutral-toned studio backdrop.
memorylanepr

People used to colorize photos by hand, using things like makeup and dyes to do the job.

7. A Swedish hunter in the late 19th century

A rugged man with a thick beard and fur hat stands outdoors holding a long rifle. He wears a weathered brown coat and has a fur bag slung over his shoulder, with trees and rocks visible in the background.
atisticknight

In the 1800s, they even wore nice clothes to go hunting.

8. The great Norwegian composer and pianist, Edvard Grieg

A distinguished older man with messy white hair and a thick mustache sits against a dark background, wearing a dark suit with red trim, a vest, white shirt, and dark bow tie, holding his lapels and a pocket watch chain.
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Grieg was incredibly shy and modest. Sometimes, when his works were being performed, he’d sneak into the audience or stand in the back, almost embarrassed by the attention.

9. Young mill workers from the late 1800s

A group of boys and young men in early 20th-century attire, some in suits and caps, others in overalls, stand together on a bridge in front of a red railing, with trees and water in the background.
damonbrand

The late 1800s was the prime era for hat-making.

10. Their faces are completely emotionless

Three people dressed in traditional Japanese samurai armor pose for a portrait; one stands with a spear, one sits holding a rooster, and another stands with a polearm and wears a horned helmet.
gemini52398

Though rare, samurai duels still happened in the late 1800s, and most of them occurred over honor.

11. George Edward Anderson, late 1800s

A man with blue eyes and a mustache wears a gray hat with a ribbon, a light blue neckerchief, a brown vest, and a checkered shirt, looking slightly to the side against a neutral background.
memorylanepr

Anderson was a mobile photographer. Instead of just waiting for people to come to a studio, Anderson brought the studio to them. He traveled around Utah and nearby states in a horse-drawn wagon converted into a mobile photography studio.

12. Chris Folden and his grandchild, 1890s

A young boy in a white shirt hugs an older bearded man in a brown suit while both sit on a wooden chair, posing for a portrait against a neutral background.
memorylanepr

This photo was taken in New Athens, Ohio.

13. Alexandre Dumas, 1859

A distinguished older man with curly gray hair and a mustache, wearing a black suit, waistcoat, and bow tie, poses for a formal portrait against a plain background.
jecinci

Dumas loved food so much that he spent years working on a cookbook called “The Great Dictionary of Cuisine”.

14. Frederick Douglass, late 1800s

A formal, colorized portrait of Frederick Douglass wearing a dark blue suit, black vest, white shirt, and bow tie, set in an ornate gold oval frame with decorative patterns.
lorenzo-folli

Douglass was the most photographed American of the 19th century. He was even photographed more times than Abe Lincoln.

15. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov among relatives and friends, 1890

klimbim

You’d never be able to tell this was taken in the 1800s if it didn’t say it.

16. Otto Von Bismarck, 1871

An older man with a grey mustache wears a decorated military uniform and a spiked helmet, facing left in profile against a dark background.
marinamaral

Otto Von Bismarck once fought in a duel and took a bullet to the hand. He challenged his political rival to a pistol duel over a heated argument.

17. Charles Darwin, 1854

A seated man with balding hair wears a brown coat over a patterned yellow waistcoat and trousers, a white shirt, and a patterned cravat. He sits sideways on a green chair against a plain gray background.
lorenzo-folli

Despite his groundbreaking work, Darwin was terrified of public speaking.

18. Eureka Colorado, 1890s

Two versions of the same photo show four people walking down a dirt street in a small mountain town; the top image is black and white, the bottom is colorized, with wooden buildings and mountains in the background.
purplelightning538

Colorizing a photo like this manually can take up to 20 hours to complete.

19. A woman in the late 1880s

A young woman in Victorian-era clothing wears a large hat adorned with green feathers and a red ribbon. She has fair skin, blue eyes, and is dressed in a high-collared blouse with puffed sleeves. The background is softly blurred.
memorylanepr

That is one of the most ridiculous hats I’ve ever seen.

20. It’s hard to believe this was taken in 1880

A vintage colorized portrait of an elderly man with a white beard seated in the center, surrounded by two women and five children, all dressed in late 19th-century clothing, posing against a painted backdrop.
memorylanepr

This photo was taken at the Child’s Art Gallery in Upper Michigan.

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