Charles Eisenmann started taking pictures of people from the freak show

In 1870, photographer Charles Eisenmann started taking pictures of people from the freak show in his New York studio. Eisenmann continued to work on his archive for the 1870s and 80s.



«Gnome Fatty" Sophia Schultz was a regular in the studio. During the 1880s, she began to grow facial hair, which became even thicker by using retouching.



Born with a beautiful face and huge feet Fanny Mills had a dowry of $ 5000 in cash and "prosperous farm" in Ohio, inherited from her father, but could not find a man who is ready to marry her.





Quadrupeds Myrtle Corbin gave birth to 3 children and 2, respectively, by means of two separate functioning genitals.



In the 19th century the physical strain was often not only a curse, but a way to become rich and famous. Many of the participants "Freak show" received a good salary and lived a happy life with his family.



"Russian boy-dog" who was involved in numerous productions on the theme of "Beauty and the Beast" was one of the most successful and popular parties like the show and his portraits were sold like hotcakes.





Charles Eisenmann paid much attention to the background, lighting, props and costumes, creating a haunting atmospheric portraits. In private and museum collections to date remained about seven hundred such works of the photographer. Among other works, and there is a portrait of the famous Barnum.