Historic 1917 Portrait of a Couple in Love

This photograph features H. Lazaro and his wife, captured in a glass negative by the Bain News Service on October 8, 1917. The image reflects a unique moment in time during the early 20th century, when photography was evolving as a crucial medium for documenting personal and public lives. H. Lazaro’s full identity may not be widely recognized today, but this portrayal adds to the historical narrative of everyday Americans during a pivotal era marked by significant social and political changes, including World War I.

The Bain News Service was known for documenting notable events and personalities of its time, focusing on a wide array of subjects. Glass negatives like this one were popular before the shift to film, allowing for high-quality reproductions that historical photographs often rely on for education and preservation. This image not only presents a couple from the past but also serves as a window into the prevalent attitudes, fashion, and lifestyles of early 20th-century America. Each detail preserved in the photograph enriches our understanding of that period.