Anastasia's mirror 'selfie'.

[ImperialxTwilight]

A lot of people on the internet these days are crediting this picture of Anastasia as the first existing 'selfie' (picture taken of someone by themselves);





While it's not the first selfie in history (there exists one from the late 1800s which obviously predates Anastasia's birth) it's interesting to see. I can imagine, as a young girl with her camera, she probably thought, "I wonder what a picture of myself would look like if I could see myself while taking it." She's looking right at herself, so she's clearly interested in how she may appear in the picture. She may also have wondered simply how a picture of a reflection would turn out, as it's possible she'd never seen one before. A quote exists where I believed she captioned the picture by saying that it was difficult to take because her hands were shaking.


It's a curious thought now that the youth of my generation learned of Anastasia through the animated 90s movie, and children/teenagers of the current generation are likely learning about Anastasia (and for those who wish to research her life, as I did following the animated movie, the Romanov family) through her now 'iconic' selfie.

[clockworkgirl21]

Her photo is also featured in Cracked's article "6 Hilarious Old-Timey Versions of Modern Vices"! (As with all Cracked articles, there is some adult language and content, but nothing too awful)

It is, in my opinion, one of the best candid Romanov photos out there because selfies are so common now. Anastasia was 100 years ahead of her time!

[Bryndis]

One of my favourite photos for sure!

Oct.28, 1914, p.44
"...Ortino and Tatiana are running about the room now. Mother is going to receive Maklakov at 9 a.m. and Malama will come, too, which is very pleasant. I took this picture of myself looking at the mirror. It was very hard as my hands were trembling. ...I had 7 classes today and tomorrow I am going to have 4 or 5... I am having a Russian class now and Pyotr Alexeyevich is reading Turguenev's "The Hunter's Notes" to us..."

Does anyone know in which room she's in? She took it in October so....Livadia? Which room? Any clues?

[matushka]

Not Livadia, but Tsarskoe Selo. The classroom??

[nena]

But somebody is behind her (on the left),  do you notice it? It's kinda creepy.

[Ortino]

I might be going out on a limb here, but could it be Marie/Anastasia's room? The chair she is sitting on is identical to one seen against the wall in this photograph:

http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/img/mariaana.jpg

You can also see in the photo above that their dressers are topped with tall mirrors--perhaps she used one of these mirrors to take her "selfie"?

Note also the stove in the corner and what appears to be a pair of double doors in the background.

I can't account for the table/chairs in the center of the room, but maybe they had a set in there. I've never seen a really good shot of M/A's room so it's hard to tell. I also acknowledge that A could have moved the chair elsewhere in the children's quarters and/or the caretakers of the palace did so after the family left.

[Sarushka]

I might be going out on a limb here, but could it be Marie/Anastasia's room? The chair she is sitting on is identical to one seen against the wall in this photograph:

http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/img/mariaana.jpg

The chair is certainly a match, but oddly, I can't find one like it in any of the other photos of the children's rooms. Another complicating factor — that photo was taken 15-20 years after the imperial family left the palace.

I believe this is M&A's room, taken during their occupancy. Maybe it will provide some clues:

[Ortino]

I might be going out on a limb here, but could it be Marie/Anastasia's room? The chair she is sitting on is identical to one seen against the wall in this photograph:

http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/img/mariaana.jpg

The chair is certainly a match, but oddly, I can't find one like it in any of the other photos of the children's rooms. Another complicating factor — that photo was taken 15-20 years after the imperial family left the palace.

I believe this is M&A's room, taken during their occupancy. Maybe it will provide some clues:

As I said, A could have moved the chair elsewhere and/or the palace staff may have moved it after the family left.

I too could not find another chair that resembles that one so I thought I would put the idea out there and see what others made of it.

I've never seen that shot before--thanks! I believe that you are right that that is M & A's room.

[Ortino]

Just found something interesting--there appears to be a similar if not identical chair (or chairs?) in Alexei's classroom. You can see it/them in a watercolor and a photo of the room:

http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/slide_show/aclassroom/pic1.jpg

http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/slide_show/aclassroom/pic2.jpg

I know that these date to quite a bit later, but if we're looking for comparables....

[Ortino]

The stove in this watercolor of O & T's room seems very similar to the one just visible in the photo of A:

http://s7.photobucket.com/user/sarahelizabethii/media/Romanov/Alexander%20Palace/OlgaTatianasbedroomwatercolor2.jpg.html

Does anyone know the approximate location of the stove in M/A's room?

[Sarushka]

http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/slide_show/aclassroom/pic2.jpg

This is also the only place I've seen a table with a dark top and white painted legs.

Does anyone know the approximate location of the stove in M/A's room?

It was in the back corner — out of the frame and to the left in the photo I posted.

[Ally Kumari]

Look! Another self-portrait, starring Nastya and Tatiana:



Found here http://vk.com/the_house_of_romanov

[nena]

That one is pretty cool. ;-)

[blessOTMA]

That's a real beauty! Thank you!!!  ...looks like their parent's bedroom

[Ally Kumari]

That's a real beauty! Thank you!!!  ...looks like their parent's bedroom

Yes, it is obviously the same day as this well-known one