From the world's first selfies to Instagram
The selfies taken when selfies were still not even a thing
Prior to the invention of the smartphone, the process of taking a photograph was considerably more time-consuming and complicated. But long before the first cameras were even conceived, people were already looking for ways to have their likeness depicted and immortalized in whatever medium was available at the time. One such approach, definitely the most popular, involved commissioning painted portraits - a tradition that flourished throughout history and produced several masterpieces.
The German painter Albrecht Dürer was one of the first painters to introduce the concept of self-portraiture to a wider audience. His works, such as the stunning example below (painted in 1500), laid a cornerstone for the genre.
The brilliant Rembrandt also embraced the practice, and made incredible use of it. He painted over 40 self-portraits over the years, documenting his life and different moods with uncanny intimacy.
Here, the young artist is 22 years old. This painting seems to be his first known self-portrait:
The invention of photography in 1822 revolutionized everything, making it possible for people to take pictures of others and themselves without the assistance of a painter. As this technology evolved and improved, and cameras became increasingly lightweight and portable, the process of taking selfies became swifter and simpler.
History's first selfies
Contrary to what is widely shared online, the first selfie was actually taken by French photographer Hippolyte Bayard, and not by American pioneer photographer Robert Cornelius. According to Dr. James McArdle, Bayard's self portraits are at least four months older than Cornelius'. (I must confess that I was very surprised to stumble upon this information.)
Cornelius' self-portrait, however, sharper than the one taken by his predecessor, is the one most people recognize today. It was taken in 1839, just two years after the invention of the daguerreotype.
To take the photo, Cornelius, then 30 years old, set up his camera outside of his family's store in Philadelphia, removed the lens cap and ran into the frame, where he posed for a minute before running back to cover the lens again. The image is a bit blurry, but it still shows Cornelius's face and part of his body. On the back of the picture, he wrote: "The first light picture ever taken. 1839."
Cornelius took a second “selfie” in 1843.
If we fast forward a few years, we can find more and more great examples. It's interesting to notice how the cameras progressively changed.
Czech photographer M. V. Lobethal, 1846
Globe reflection in Glens Falls, New York, 1870s
Belgian artist Henri Evenepoel, 1898
An unidentified Edwardian woman taking a selfie with a Kodak Brownie box camera, circa 1900
Another unidentified woman, circa 1900
This one below was taken in 1909 by English photographer Joseph Byron, on the roof of his studio on the bustling Fifth Avenue, in New York.
In December 1920, Byron was once again holding a camera on his rooftop. This time, he was accompanied by his colleagues Colonel Marceau, Benjamin Falk, Pirie MacDonald and Pop Core.
As they took this 'group selfie', someone captured a behind the scenes shot. This one has always fascinated me!
The Romanov family, Russia's last royal dynasty, held a keen interest in photography. The Tsar's youngest daughter, Grand Duchess Anastasia, showed particular affection for the camera.
Here, she can be seen in 1914, taking a mirror selfie:
WWI Australian military aviator Thomas Baker posed for this self portrait in 1917. He would be killed in battle a year later.
This one, taken in 1925 and published by the couple's grandson, English freelance journalist Alan Cleaver, may be the earliest example of history's first "selfie-stick"!
I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best. - Frida Kahlo
I can not help but wonder how these pioneers of self-portraiture would react to the current era where selfies have become so popular and such an integral part of our lives. It's fascinating to imagine their astonishment at how the bulky cameras of their day have evolved into portable devices we carry in our pockets that can capture images in amazing detail and quality in just a few seconds. Heavy equipments and long exposure times have been long left in the past.
Today, with a simple click and in the blink of an eye, anyone can create a self-portrait and, perhaps even more impressively, share it with the entire world almost instantly.
The human desire to capture and share our own image remains a constant thread. Today's selfie culture is merely the latest chapter in a story that spans centuries, continents, and technologies.
In 2013, the Oxford Dictionaries announced 'selfie' to be their word of the year.
Absolutely enjoyed this. It’s always so neat to see historic documentation of something we all know and understand well even today!
The perpetual affliction of every generation is to mistakenly presume they have invented everything for the first time....and so humanity similarly suffers the indignity of repeating over and over again the lessons it has 'forgotten' to learn.