The tragic story of the Titanic, the luxury liner that sank after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean in April 1912, taking more than 1,500 people down into the freezing waters, is one that's been etched into our minds.
The beauty and wonder of the ship, considered "unsinkable" at the time, combined with the terror and tragedy of its sinking, is something that has fascinated historians and hobbyists alike.
It's also inspired people to try and recreate what being aboard the Titanic might have been like. Maybe it's because the ship and all its furnishings are so inaccessible, locked forever down at the bottom of the ocean, that so many people seem to have a desire to see what they looked like. It's even inspired one company to build the Titanic II, which kind of seems like tempting fate, but is scheduled for its own maiden voyage in 2018.
Perhaps less riskily, Titanic fan Thomas Schmid took some photographs of the ship from 1912 and colorized them, allowing us to see what the ship and its many opulent rooms might have looked like in real life, rather than in just the black-and-white photos we have today.
Check them out below, and you'll see that even over a century later, you might still feel a little pull toward all that glamour and style, no matter how ill-fated.
[H/T: Exposure Guide, 3DHistory]
Everyone knows the story of the Titanic, the luxury liner that struck an iceberg and sank in 1912, killing 1,514 people. It's one of the most famous tragedies of the 20th century.
But until now, our only visions of this ship have been in black and white, but not anymore!
Artist and historian Thomas Schmid has had a lifelong fascination with the Titanic.
This inspired him to create these colorized images of photos of the ship's interior and exterior.
These color versions bring the ship's beautiful room to life, from the rich wood tones to the plush fabrics, and they're just stunning.
Schmid created the color versions digitally, and based his color choices off the paints and materials that were actually used on the ship to get the images as accurate as possible.
Where needed, he also removed dust and scratch marks from the original photos.
We, of course, know that the rooms really were in color, but seeing them in color still somehow makes them seem all the more real, like you could step right into them.
And their beauty and glamour is undeniable.
The heavy paneling and dark fabrics might not be to everyone's taste today, but they would have been the latest in interior design in 1912.
And it wasn't just the bedrooms. This deck area with its wicker furniture would have been a beautiful spot to get some fresh sea air.
But there's also a sadness mixed into these images. We know that for all the care that was put into them, and for all the enjoyment the passengers had in them, they would not survive the voyage.
And maybe that's why Schmid was so careful to include all the details when he colorized the photos, down to the maps on the walls.
By seeing these images in color, we also get to remember the ship and all the people on it.
And speaking of the people, Schmid was also sure to colorize some of the Titanic's passengers and crew, as well as some of the other people who would come into its story.
This is Captain Arthur H. Rostron of the Carpathia, the ship that picked up the 710 surviving passengers. He's seen here receiving a trophy for his actions.
This dapper gentleman would have looked right at home in the ship's beautiful rooms, too.
It might seem like a small thing, but putting color into a black-and-white image imbues it with new life.
And Schmid didn't just stick to the opulent state rooms and first-class areas.
He also faithfully colorized the less glamorous parts of the Titanic, too, like this third-class dining hall.
There are also some great snapshots of the ship under construction. The largest passenger ship of its time, the Titanic generated considerable hype.
Of course, there was a certain amount of pride, too, which resulted in an inadequate number of lifeboats, causing the death toll to be much higher than it needed to be.
The Titanic's legendary status continues to fascinate people across generations, and these photos let us step back a little in time and see the tragic ship as people might have in 1912.
You can see more colorized photos on Schmid's website, as well as other historical projects, and be sure to SHARE these beautiful photos with anyone who loves the dramatic story of the Titanic!
