81 Photos And Items From The Victorian Era That Might Change Your Perception Of That Period (New Pics)

What's so special about the Victorian era? A lot of things, its fans would say. There's the fashion, the rapid economic growth propelled by industrialization, the distinctive moral code – it's history, but in a sense, it doesn't seem too long ago or strange for us to find it relatable and charming.

Although times were undeniably different, you'll see in these photographs that the Victorian era wasn't short of historical curiosities: circus performers, people of color in positions of prominence, and pet portraits that belonged to none other than Abraham Lincoln. So, let's go through all of them and see what the subreddit "Random Victorian Stuff" has to offer, shall we?

There is only speculation about who the woman in the photograph wearing riding attire is. Most of the information about her is unreliable, even if her photographs are now in the French Ministry of Culture collection. History enthusiasts believe that she is Selika Lazevski and that the photograph was taken in 1891 at the French photographer Paul Nadar's studio.

Apparently, Lazevski was a haute école rider, a horseback performer in the circus. Her name is equally interesting as her unusual predicament: the name Selika gained popularity in the 19th century after an opera about an African American woman, Selika, came out. In the opera, Selika crashes on an African island and discovers that she is its princess. As the opera gained popularity, the name Selika became associated with the words "princess" and "queen."

Tabby and Dixie, the two cats with official presidential portraits, have more to boast about than simply being the pets of Abraham Lincoln. Apparently, they were also the very first pets to live in the White House. Lincoln was particularly fond of Dixie and reportedly liked her better. He is said to have even remarked that she was smarter than the members of his cabinet and at least didn't talk back.

On the topic of cat portraits, let's talk about Harry Pointer's cat photography. Apparently, all the cats in his portraits were his pets, and what started as portraits of cats in their natural resting poses turned into whimsical photography. Pointer would pose his cats in all sorts of quirky, human-like ways: roller-skating, riding a tricycle, and even a cat taking a picture with a camera.

Pointer may have been an early pioneer of the captioned photo. Many of his cat portraits feature captions, as he realized that the commercial value of the photographs increased significantly once he added a poignant and amusing caption like "Bring up the dinner Betsy." You could even say they were precursors of the modern meme!

If you think the all-women fire brigade posed just for that one photo, think again! The all-female fire brigade at Girton College, Cambridge, was actually real. It was founded in 1879 by two students who thought that the college might be in danger of fires after walking by a haystack that caught on fire. The members of the Girton Fire Brigade were trained by none other than the London Fire Brigade. Still, in all its existence until 1932, the brigade only put out one fire in Girton village in 1918.

What do you find the most fascinating about the Victorian period, Pandas? Is it the fashion, the different way of life, or just the vibes you can't quite describe? Let us know in the comments which of these pictures you find the most fascinating. In the meantime, be sure to check out these great works of art that were the perfect canvas for the funniest memes!