On: Adam Curtis on the dangers of self-expression (201...

[verisimi]

They didn't have cameras, either, back then...

[anigbrowl → verisimi]

They did have camera obscura and other optical devices to assist with the realization of perspective.

[verisimi → anigbrowl]

Right - but the point of the portraits was for rich people to have their likeness captured. Nowadays, this is simple with cameras - a big driver of the market disappeared.