• UsernameIsTooLon@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    15
    ·
    10 months ago

    Smiling, especially that wide, was not a common thing to do back then. Stern looks were common because people like George Washington had their faces painted and they had to pose for a very long time. It pretty much stuck around until the cameras got faster. I also think it’s another part being foreign to Euro/American influences so there was no “gentlemen” way of posing for reference.