A Brief History of Photo Fakery

What a marvel the first photographic images must have been to their early-19th-century viewers — the crisp, unassailable reality of scenes and events, unfiltered by an artist’s paintbrush or point of view.
And what an opportunity for manipulation. It didn’t take long for schemers to discover that with a little skill and imagination, photographic realism could be used to create manufactured realities.

China's Central Committee at the 1976 funeral of Chairman Mao. Missing are the Gang of Four, who were arrested soon after this photo was taken and erased, leaving gaps in the lineup.

Photo: David King Collection, London

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