Women Combing Their Hair (circa 1875-1876) by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar DegasThe Phillips Collection
As long as humans have existed, we've had to figure out what to do with our hair. Short or long? Up or down? Easy to maintain or elaborate and fanciful? Scroll to learn about some historic hairstyles from around the world.
Head of Julia Titi (about 90)The J. Paul Getty Museum
These billowing curls belonged to Julia Flavia, also known as Julia Titi, a daughter of Emperor Titus. Titus ruled Rome from 79 to 81 CE. This intricate marble sculpture now resides at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
Mummy Portrait of a Boy (150 - 200) by UnknownThe J. Paul Getty Museum
Hairstyles aren't just used for aesthetic purposes, sometimes they convey spiritual significance. This mummy portrait, painted after the death of a young boy, shows the hairstyle associated with the child form of the Egyptian god Horus: a mostly shaved head with a side-lock.
Medusa (1595 - 1598) by Caravaggio MerisiUffizi Gallery
Even some mythical monsters have legendary locks. Medusa, a winged woman from Greek myth whose looks could turn people into stone, is best-known for her terrifying hair - a bouffant of live, venomous snakes. This shield painted by Caravaggio in the 1590s is now at Uffizi Gallery.
Frida Kahlo (ca. 1940, printed 1984) by Bernard SilbersteinCincinnati Art Museum
Frida Kahlo, one of Mexico's most acclaimed artists, is renowned not only for her symbolic paintings, but also for her sense of fashion. She often incorporated elements which expressed her connection to her heritage and wove floral crowns into hair, as seen in this 1940 photo.
Men's Hair Styles (1956) (1956) by British PatheBritish Fashion Council
This short video, courtesy of the British Fashion Council, features a barber who gives a unique coif to a customer: the elephant's trunk. Would you wear your hair in this style?
Onile gogoro or akaba (1975) by J.D. 'Okhai OjeikereContemporary African Art Collection - The Jean Pigozzi Collection
Nigerian photographer J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere is known for stunning photographs of African women's hair, like the one shown here. Many of the styles he snapped have ceremonial significance or are passed down through generations.
Punk rock music emerged in the 1970s and popularized numerous extravagant hairstyles. The most iconic of which, the mohawk, is a style which gets its name from America's indigenous Mohawk nation. This photo featuring a voluminous mohawk was taken in in the 1980s by Gavin Watson.
Chromatin (series) (2017) by Medina Dugger and Francois BeaurainOriginal Source: African Artists Foundation
Visual artists Medina Dugger and Francois Beaurain collaborated on this geometry-inspired project known as Chromatin. Below, watch the mind-bending video, provided by the African Artists' Foundation.
HairstylesOriginal Source: African Artists Foundation
