Vintage photographs of freaky circus performers during the mid-1800’s in New York City was in the collection of Photographer Charles Eisenmann. The freaky but fascinating photos was popular with the lower cl(–foul word(s) removed–) in the city’s most impoverished neighborhoods.
The collective photos of carnival performers included the incredible Prince Randian – born without arms or legs but incredibly self-sufficient and able to shave, paint, write and even roll cigarettes. He was featured in Tod Browning’s 1932 movie Freaks which aimed to humanize and show the beauty of people who were regarded as monsters.
Some of them having medical conditions such as Jojo, the dog-faced boy appeared to suffer from hypertrichosis, a genetic condition which causes excess hair growth while ‘big-footed’ Fanny Mills was thought to have Milroy’s disease which causes legs to swell up.
The freak performers lost their popularity when people regarded them sympathy instead of giving them laugh.
Here are some of the photos of the collective photos of carnival performers:
