How funny photos of Einstein, Stalin and royalty appeared

In 1838, the chemist and inventor Louis Daguerre photographed the Temple Boulevard in Paris. It was also called Boulevard du Crime – that is, criminal. Journalists of that time wrote that dozens of people die here every day at the hands of murderers.

Actually, it wasn’t all that gloomy. Dozens of theaters were located on this boulevard. Murder, arson, poisoning and assassination attempts were part of the performances. The published video showed the picture, which was the first in which it was possible to photograph a person. There is a tiny figurine of a man getting his shoes shined. He stood motionless for a long time. That is why he remained in history, and did not disappear from the frame, like other passers-by.

And 15 years later, amateur photographer Mary Dalvin took a portrait of young Willy. This frame is considered the very first smile captured in the photo.

Over the next decades, humanity got a taste and began to openly fool around in front of the camera. Important scientists, presidents and even monarchs did not hesitate to do this. Talks about it program “Unknown History” with Boris Ryzhov on REN TV.

Funny photos of Nicholas II and other monarchs

A unique photo – Emperor Nicholas II riding the Greek Prince Nicholas. This comic photo shoot took place in 1899 near the German castle Wolfsgarten. In a narrow circle, the monarchs did not even hesitate to make faces in front of the camera.

“The imperial family was very fond of organizing photo shoots. One of their favorite entertainments. Thus, photographs have been preserved where Emperor Nicholas II and the Prince of Greece are fooling around,” – said the photographer Margarita Pavlyuk.

Other august persons were also not averse to fooling around. The cousin of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna – Duchess Victoria – with caricature pouted lips, as if parodying modern young ladies from social networks.

Members of the royal family not only loved to pose, but also willingly controlled the camera. The mother of Nicholas II – Maria Fedorovna – was an avid photographer. The Empress even developed the pictures herself. For this, a special laboratory was set up in the Catherine Palace.

“The Empress Dowager spent a lot of money buying photographic equipment, ordering it in England. It was a favorite hobby of the imperial family. It is known that even each member of the family had their own portable camera,” – said the photographer Pavlyuk.

The great-nephew of Empress Maria Feodorovna – King George VI of England – did not like to be photographed. The subjects mainly saw portraits of the ruler. The fact is that the monarch strongly stuttered and eschewed publicity. But the age of progress dictated its own rules. The program showed a rare picture in which George, then Prince of Wales, was captured while riding a slide at the Wembley Imperial Exhibition.

“This is such a softening of the solidity, the sacredness of power. And this made it possible to believe that the chosen one of God, he is the same as we are. Therefore, especially in royal families, it was customary to take pictures in a playful way, and these pictures were specially organized,” – noted culturologist Maria Vasilenok.

“The leader is joking”: unique photographs of Stalin

Joseph Stalin hardly liked comic photo shoots. But the leader also had off-the-record pictures. The head of the secretary general’s personal security, Nikolai Vlasik, was fond of photography and was the only one whom Stalin allowed to film himself in an informal setting. Recently, Vlasik’s archives were declassified with the permission of the Secretary General’s relatives. Including the property of the public became a picture called “The leader is joking.”

“The photographs taken by Vlasik are very valuable from a historical point of view. Nikolai Sidorovich was the longest period with the leader. He was not just a security guard, but was an assistant in household chores. He was very close to Stalin, and even after the death of Nadezhda Alliluyeva, he cared about children”, – said culturologist Vasilenok.

Snapshot of US First Lady Reagan on Santa’s lap

American politicians usually did not hide their comic pictures from the public. On the contrary, such photos were skillfully used to attract the electorate.

In 1983, First Lady Nancy Reagan invited wrestler Mr. T dressed as Santa Claus to the White House for Christmas. The President’s wife did not even hesitate to sit on his lap.

“He came in army boots, a caftan and the same mohawk. So we can see the photo where the first lady is sitting on Santa Claus’s lap with a pack of cereal. Mr. T even received a kiss from the first lady”– said the photographer Pavlyuk.

Photoshoot of US President Johnson, which led to the scandal

American President Lyndon Johnson, who unleashed the Vietnam War, tried to improve his image in the eyes of voters with the help of a comic photo shoot. But I got the opposite effect, due to an ill-conceived shot.

“The 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Johnson, had three dogs: this is a mongrel Yuki, found at a gas station in Texas, and two that he was not very puzzled and called He and She. He loved to play with his dogs and be photographed. And he also there is a shot where on the lawn in front of the White House he lifts him by the ears”, – shared the photographer Pavlyuk.

Controversial shoot with Salvador Dali and flying cats

Animal rights activists brought down a flurry of criticism on Johnson for cruelty to the dog. But for some reason no one called Salvador Dali a flayer. Although the artist was much more unceremonious with cats.

“Dali at that time was fond of nuclear physics – in particular, the hypothesis that everything material is in limbo and temporary, in a temporary stop. And this photo session lasted almost 6 hours. 28 takes were made”– said the culturologist Vasilenok.

The picture, called “Dali Atomikus”, was taken by the distinguished photographer Philippe Halsman. He was so inspired by this shooting that he had a burning desire to make a series of similar works.

“He persuaded famous personalities – Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and Romain Gary – take pictures at the moment of the jump. When the whole image of celebrity seems to dissolve, and a person appears in front of us in his natural nature, “ – said culturologist Vasilenok.

How did the famous photo of Einstein sticking out his tongue

Few people know, but the famous photo of Einstein with his tongue hanging out is not a staged shot at all! Photographer Arthur Sasse took this picture when the scientist was celebrating his 71st birthday.

After the banquet, Einstein got into the car, and Sasse asked him to pose a little more. Tired physicist stuck out his tongue at an annoying photographer in protest. It was this picture of Einstein that became incredibly popular.

Different versions of historical events, amazing episodes of history, little-known facts and interesting theories – study all this and much more in the Unknown History program with Boris Ryzhov on REN TV.