Adding color to history: Iconic images from Library of Congress brought to life by group of artists and amateur historians

Scenes from as far back as the Civil War can be viewed in all their natural glory thanks to a group of artists who have painstakingly added in color.



Using images from the Library of Congress, the artists have looked for clues in the originals to give them a natural refurbishment to help people view them in a new light.



'I only want add a new perspective – to help people of today coming closer to the past,' Swedish artist Sanna Dullaway said.

Dullaway, along with Dana Keller , Jordan Lloyd and Paul Edwards , use state of the art technology to breathe new life into old black and white photos.



From important historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Einstein and Walt Whitman, to more everyday scenes, the natural coloring makes it easier to imagine life in a previous period.



The pictures are part of the ColorizedHistory Movement, made up of about 20,000 amateur historians dedicated to high quality color versions of black and white classics.



Impact: Adding color to the Operation Crossroads Baker nuclear test in 1946 brings an added vibrancy

New look: A black and white original of Albert Einstein with Dave Rothman in Long Island in 1939 is shown next to the colorized version

Subtle: The colorization of this 1936 picture of Georgia peach pickers brings out the details

Second shot: A 1900 picture of Annie Oakley

Details: The scene of a 1921 car crash has been carefully colored

Vibrant: The warm hues of this Civil War picture of Nashville, Tennessee add new depth

Stand out: The technique was applied to this racist protest in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1959

Serene: A 1915 street scene showing Broadway in Saratoga Springs

Attention: Even the leaves in the gutter have been colored in this group picture of some of the world's greatest minds, from Marie Curie to Einstein, at the 1927 Solvay Conference. While the image below is from a different frame, the added color brings vibrancy to the new version, above

Fact or fiction: Hans Christian Anderson in 1869

Natural: Conservationist Archibald Stansfield Belaney, also known as Grey Owl

Historic: Japanese archers photographed in the 1860s are given a new lease of life with the color process

Historical: Abraham Lincoln's portrait benefits from a splash of color

Blue skies: Ground crew for the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American pilots, in 1945

Connection: Viewed in color, this 1939 photo draws attention to the recognizable advertising boards on the side of this North Carolina store

Restored: Formal portraits of children appear warmer when viewed in color

Gentle: Soft colorization defines the sailor in this photo

Warmth: The color version of this 1924 photo of Kansas farmers appears more lifelike

Past: The color helps bring photos, such as this one of a grandfather and child at a relocation camp in 1942, to life

Window on society: Missouri children smoke a pipe and cigarettes in 1910