LIFE magazine, that is. Google is hosting a searchable archive of historical photographs from the LIFE magazine vault.
We’re not just talking the major VJ-day-navy-dude-kisses-nurse cover shots either, but a complete set of everything in LIFE’s archive, including pictures that were never published, all in as high a resolution as you could hope for.
That’s millions of photographs, even some as early as 1750. I don’t know how that could be exactly, because as far as I know the first permanent photograph was taken in 1826, the first really useable system coming a decade later with the daguerreotype.
The browse by decades feature starts with the 1860’s, so I’m guessing the 18th c. material is more recent photography of period paintings.
Item of note: there are 148 photographs in the LIFE archive from 1860. No other decade beats that number until the 1910’s. Slaughter inspires art, I suppose.
To search the LIFE archives, just type “source:life” after your keyword in the Google Images search box.
This is great news. Amazing old pics of Jerusalem history. Thanks!
Did I ever tell you, Livius, I LOVE your blog! :love:
Oo, I just did a keyword search for Jerusalem to see what you’re talking about and there are some beauties. I love the windmill! Is it still there?
Also, :blush: and :thanks: .
Slaughter inspires art, though maybe it’s also the Mathew Brady influence. I added “brady” to the 1860s search results and 32 of the pictures seem to be his.
Oh cool, I didn’t even think to search for his name. Brady was one prolific sumbitch.
Indeed! Matthew Brady is one of the greatest photographers of all time, hands-down.
The one taken of Lincoln just days before his assassination, is one of the creepiest, chilling, and inspiring photographs I have ever seen. I always think of Abraham Lincoln as this larger-than-life fictional character. That famous Brady photograph of him, really humanizes the man. To think: He was as real as you an I are now.