Now in color: Russian beauties of tsarist times (PHOTOS)

Artist Olga Shirnina nicknamed ‘Klimbim’ on the Russian Internet adds color all kinds of different archive photos: Romanov family members portraits, tsar’s last ball, black&white portraits of great Russian writers, early Soviet photos and portraits of World War II heroes. In her works, these people seem to revive, become incredibly alive - and sometimes look directly into a viewer’s eyes.

Here are a few select portraits of the most beautiful women of the Russian Empire.

1. Ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya

Public domain, color by Klimbim

2. Matilda Kshesinskaya

Public domain, color by Klimbim

3. Ballerina Anna Pavlova and her pets

Public domain, color by Klimbim

4. Anna Pavlova in the costume of Swan Lake ballet

Public domain, color by Klimbim

5. Revolutionary Alexandra Kollontai

Public domain, color by Klimbim

6. Singer Anastasia Vyaltseva

Public domain, color by Klimbim

7. Ballerina Agrippina Vaganova

Public domain, color by Klimbim

8. Countess Sofya Vyazemskaya

Public domain, color by Klimbim

9. Writer and translator Elizaveta Kologrivova

Public domain, color by Klimbim

10. Ballerina Tamara Karsavina

Public domain, color by Klimbim

11. Actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya

Sputnik; Public domain, color by Klimbim

12. Revolutionary, journalist and poet Larissa Reissner

Public domain, color by Klimbim

13. Silent movie star Vera Kholodnaya

Public domain, color by Klimbim

14. A fashionable lady from Tver Region, 1900s

Public domain, color by Klimbim

15. A student of the Institute of Noble Maidens in St. Petersburg

Public domain, color by Klimbim

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