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Why Victorian portraits look so serious

  • Page from the Westmorland carte de visite album, c. 1864. J. Paul Getty Museum. Object number 84.XD.1283.
    handler
    Victorian portraits
    Why so serious? In the 1800s, long exposures and headrests made stillness a must, and a solemn face read as respectability. Today, cameras and social feeds reward a faster, curated face.