Duck Face in the Victorian Era

Contrary to the stiff, formal image we often associate with Victorians, this 19th-century photograph reveals a lighter, more playful side. Here, a woman poses for the camera, not with the expected straight-laced seriousness, but with a hint of mischievousness, possibly giving us one of the earliest examples of the ‘duck face.’

This expression, now a popular pose on social media, seems to have had its precursors even in the era of corsets and top hats. The woman’s expression in this rare photograph challenges our assumptions about the Victorian era, showing that a sense of humor and fun was very much alive, even when captured in an old photograph.