08 October 2012

Colourful Women

A young flapper in Baden-Baden, Germany. Photo: Wilhelm Tobien.

Normally when we think of women in the 1920s or 30s, we think of them in black and white. But check out these lovelies from the pages of National Geographic in gorgeous colour. 

The images seen here are Autochromes, an early type of colour photography. National Geographic was a champion of the process and featured an Autochrome—"A Ghent Flower Garden" by Paul G. Guilumette—for the first time in their July 1914 issue. One of the handful of photographers creating Autochromes for the publication was German photographer Wilhelm Tobien who took these images all over Europe.

Two young girls in the Canary Islands. Photo: Wilhelm Tobien.

Striking a pose in Bucharest, Romania. Photo: Wilhelm Tobien.


I am especially fond of the photo from the Azores as some of my family immigrated from there. I love the green and white dress one of the women is wearing and how happy they look. And seeing them in colour just makes them seem more real.

To see more Autochromes and other wonderful images check out the National Geographic Image Collection here.

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