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