Life is not lived in black and white. Artists knew this and, for centuries, we relied on their interpretations to colour the events and characters that propelled the world.
Photography might have led to more instant images that could be sent around the world, but for decades the reigns of queens and kings - indeed the rise and fall of empires - and the achievements of scientists, business moguls, artists and social reformers were captured in monochrome.
Does adding colour to these images change the way we see things?
A new book, a collaboration between Brazilian artist Marina Amaral and writer Dan Jones, may hold the answer.
The Colour of Time: A new history of the world 1850-1960 features 200 images, originally black and white but now full-colour digital renditions which bring history to life as it has never been seen before.
These are but a small selection of the powerful and poignant images found in this book.