From the Eiffel Tower in the middle of construction to Elvis Presley's picture, the Colorized Twitter page shows history through a vibrant lens.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on January 7, 2023. It has since been updated.
The process of colorization often breathes new life into old photographs. Many people get their old family pictures colorized just to keep those precious moments alive and to get a better sense of what life was like at that particular moment in time. A Twitter page called Colorized is doing just that but with historical photographs. The page shoots a burst of life into historic pictures featuring the likes of the band Black Sabbath from the 1970s, Vincent Van Gogh's sister-in-law from 1874 and more.
The popular social media page that was started in December 2020 has over 8375 followers. Their website, Colorized, allows anyone to upload black and white photographs and instantly convert them into colored pictures. According to the site, "Colorized is a brand that represents a community passionate about bringing colorful optimism to the darkest parts of humanity through unique and high-quality storytelling." It was created by childhood best friends Justin Levine and Will Gwyn, who previously founded HistoryDaily and GroovyHistory.
"We owe the inspiration of Colorized to our loyal following who engage with our history content every day," the founders explained on their website. "The positive feedback on colorized history photos on GroovyHistory and HistoryDaily has been unprecedented. And to meet the excitement of our readers for the colorized history content, we have created Colorized.com."
They added: "The more readers we reach, the stronger our community becomes and the more real and measurable difference we’re able to make. Through increased contributions to meaningful charities, we are working to solve some of the world's biggest challenges." They also stated that they support life-saving clean water projects, hunger initiatives, mental health research, poverty abatement projects, animal rescue, Cancer and Alzheimer’s research, etc.
Let's check out some of the amazing historical pictures that have been colorized:
Vincent van Gogh’s sister-in-law Johanna Bonger, 1874, Photo: F.W. Deutmann, Credit: @retrograde_colour pic.twitter.com/kItksElWA3
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 30, 2022
Winston Churchill traveling on the HMS Kelvin to Normandy one week after D-Day, 1944, Credit: @pearcolours pic.twitter.com/Ej7XxPxJn5
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 30, 2022
A sod house, Drenthe, The Netherlands, 1936, Credit: @retrograde_colour pic.twitter.com/SjJ7HNzmtv
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 30, 2022
German soldiers in Stalingrad, World War II, 1942, Credit: @teppeny.color pic.twitter.com/rgLlUya0ov
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) January 3, 2023
The original lineup of Black Sabbath in 1970: Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, and Ozzy Osbourne, Credit: Photomyne pic.twitter.com/GxXdGiL9VJ
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) January 3, 2023
Wall Street and Broad Street, New York City, 1907, Credit: @ushistoryincolor pic.twitter.com/gnZWixPxzw
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) January 3, 2023
Wedding photo, 1915, Credit: @igphotorevival pic.twitter.com/fBIhNWXz9o
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 31, 2022
Bonnie and Clyde, 1933, Credit: @retrograde_colour pic.twitter.com/dfjtJNNlOe
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 31, 2022
Audrey Hepburn, Hollywood Hills, 1958, Photo: Don Ornitz Hills, Credit: @pearcolours pic.twitter.com/MO2UVfZ8ft
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 30, 2022
Eiffel Tower in the middle of construction, 1888, Credit: @retrograde_colour pic.twitter.com/5Zfwbw54P1
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 29, 2022
Funeral of Dutch resistance members Jan van der Ven and Pieter Hoekveen who were killed in a firefight between the Dutch resistance and German soldiers, Delft, Netherlands, 1945, Credit: @julius.colorization pic.twitter.com/2cVkOgj4Nd
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 29, 2022
Two children looking towards the camera while standing on a street in Chinatown, San Francisco, 1906, Photo: Arnold Genthe, Credit: @baptistecolors pic.twitter.com/AenQx4wUvi
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 29, 2022
Lunch being served at People's Drug Store, G Street, New York City, 1942, Photo: Marjory Collins, Credit: @sebcolorisation pic.twitter.com/u43ZjOHwjq
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 28, 2022
Elvis Presley being sworn into the army, 1958, Credit: @_history_in_color_ pic.twitter.com/MRBcp0nnMp
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 28, 2022
"Children For Sale: Inquire Within," Credit: @_history_in_color_ pic.twitter.com/2C9PPm9D1B
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 27, 2022
John Lennon, 1961, Photo: Jürgen Vollmer, pic.twitter.com/jLt1OOgprf
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 27, 2022
Actress Dona Drake in a promotional photo for the 1943 musical film "Salute for Three," Credit: Color Praeterita pic.twitter.com/6Qqq8Un4eb
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) January 7, 2023
Photo of the Berlin Wall, 1989, Credit: @_history_in_color_ pic.twitter.com/94j8l4zp2L
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 27, 2022
A bomb crew gathered around a bomb that says, "Merry Christmas," World War II, Credit: Renee Colours pic.twitter.com/f0tVDgHXke
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 27, 2022
Frank Sinatra's Christmas tree, Credit: @any_colorization_you_like pic.twitter.com/39apJXJOJu
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 26, 2022
Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following their wedding ceremony with Princess Margaret, Elizabeth's younger sister, and Princess Alexandra of Kent, on their left, Credit: @any_colorization_you_like pic.twitter.com/Jbr6ylFRsC
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 24, 2022
Photo of the Mona Lisa after it was returned to the Louvre Museum when Vincenzo Peruggia stole it, 1911, Credit: @czcolorization pic.twitter.com/l3RWwyuEAF
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 22, 2022
A British soldier shaking hands with a kitten, Neulette, Pas-de-Calais, France, 1917, Credit: DBColour pic.twitter.com/oFj84lSU6J
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 20, 2022
Pelé, one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Credit: Mads Madsen pic.twitter.com/REXKEoE9sk
— Colorized (@colorized_pics) December 15, 2022