The National Museum's Historical Photographic Collection contains original photographs of political, economic and cultural figures. The collection includes nearly 40,000 photographs of more than 15,000 people, taken by professional, amateur or private photographers in their studios or on the occasion of an event.
In the second half of the 19th century, noblemen and citizens dressed up not only for carnival celebrations but also for other occasions. At balls, private parties and children's parties, they often presented live images of historical figures, characters from famous plays, imaginary characters or figures from well-known paintings. Sometimes these fashionable costume shows were politically charged, sometimes they were charity events, sometimes they were just an occasion for fun. A selection of photographs from the Historical Photographic Collection, including photos of famous people in fancy dress, with a glimpse into the 20th century.