Spying Collection

Propaganda poster: careless talk costs lives
Second world war propaganda poster warning people that careless talk costs lives. Tell nobody -- not even her

WW1 - German Espionage - in disguise as a woman
WW1 - The Little German Maid - German Espionage - a German soldier prepares to get into disguise as a woman in order to infiltrate an approaching band of allied cavalry troops. Date: 1915

U-2 spy plane with fictitious NASA markings, USA, 1960. Creator: NASA
U-2 spy plane with fictitious NASA markings, USA, 1960. After Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union during a CIA spy flight on May 1, 1960

Military spy - a camera carrying pigeon
A pigeon as a military spy. A camera small enough to be attached on a bird to capture ariel images, ideal for war time spying. The camera is automatic and takes a photograph at regular intervals

Curiosity, from the Pears Annual, Christmas, 1892
BAL8679 Curiosity, from the Pears Annual, Christmas, 1892 by Bls, Eugen von (1843-1931); Private Collection; Austrian, out of copyright

La Vie Parisienne, 1920s, France

Invisible ink
Coded invisible ink message demonstrated by German spy Kurt H de Rysbach, 1915 Date: 1915

US Civil War observation balloon, 19th century artwork. The balloon, near Gaines Mill, Virginia, USA, is being inflated by gas being piped through tubes from the containers at left

Project Azorian, 1970s
Project Azorian. Artwork showing the secret US operation carried out by the CIA to recover a sunken Soviet submarine in the 1970s

Old Bill and Co. August 1940
" Hey! Mind what yer doin ! Thats the second time you ve got me with that fifth column o yours!" Bruce Bairnsfather pokes fun at rumours of German spies

World War I spy drawing
What appears to be an innocent landscape drawing is in fact a plan of a harbour and its forts. The sketch has been made in accordance with a secret pictorial code known to the government in whose

Artificial intelligence. Conceptual computer artwork of a brain inside a computer, representing intelligent computers. The monitor screen shows a human eye

Kipling / Puck Pooks Hill
They saw a man sitting on the window-sill

Pigeon as Military observer 1914
Miniature double camera with two lenses pointing in opposite directions was attached to the pigeon by harness to take automatic photographs at regular intervals over enermies ground. 1914

Cartoon, They have ears! WW1
Cartoon, They have ears! Three fashionable French women are afraid that two Dachshunds might be German spies. Date: 1916

Kurt Rysbach
German spy Kurt H de Rysbach in German military uniform, 1925 Date: 1925

An Early warning radar station on the Moors near Harrowgate UK
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Alfred in Danes Camp
Alfred the Great disguises himself as a wandering musician and plays the harp in the camp of the Danes while gathering information about their military strength

Goblins spying on witches on a Christmas card
Goblins spying on two witches with a cooking pot on a Christmas card. Date: circa 1890s

Lovers with a Woman Listening (oil on canvas)
XCF274310 Lovers with a Woman Listening (oil on canvas) by Maes, Nicolaes (1634-93); Apsley House, The Wellington Museum, London, UK; Dutch, out of copyright

On the Somme: Sausage balloons, illustration from 'The Western Front', pub. by Country Life Ltd, 1917 (litho)
STC400438 On the Somme: Sausage balloons, illustration from 'The Western Front', pub. by Country Life Ltd, 1917 (litho) by Bone

Cartoon of Spy by T P O'Connor
3077566 Cartoon of Spy by T P O'Connor; (add.info.: Cartoon of Spy by Thomas Power O'Connor (1848-1929) a journalist, an Irish nationalist political figure

Flemish tapestry. Suzanna and the elder (Suzanna en de ouderlingen). Atelier of Oudenaarde. 254x220cm
7209529 Flemish tapestry. Suzanna and the elder (Suzanna en de ouderlingen). Atelier of Oudenaarde. 254x220cm. Inv (82968)-2 00003.; 254x220 cm; MOU Museum, Oudenaarde, Oost-Vlaanderen

What the butler saw. From Illustrierte Sittengeschichte vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart by Eduard Fuchs
1000909 What the butler saw. From Illustrierte Sittengeschichte vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart by Eduard Fuchs, published 1909.; Private Collection.

Dreyfus affair. Ferdinand Esterhazy, ca 1900 (postcard)
7422878 Dreyfus affair. Ferdinand Esterhazy, ca 1900 (postcard); (add.info.: History. France. Dreyfus affair. Ferdinand Esterhazy. Postcard, France, ca 1900.); © Archives Charmet.

Voyeur spies on young woman undressing. (print)
7419935 Voyeur spies on young woman undressing. (print); (add.info.: A voyeur spies on a young woman as she begins to undress)

David watching the bath of Bathsheba (woodcut)
8663775 David watching the bath of Bathsheba (woodcut) by Burgkmair, Hans (c.1473-1531) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: David watching the bath of Bathsheba, 1519)

What the butler saw. A waiter spying through a keyhole. From Illustrierte Sittengeschichte vom Mittelalter bis zur
1000854 What the butler saw. A waiter spying through a keyhole. From Illustrierte Sittengeschichte vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart by Eduard Fuchs, published 1909.; Private Collection.

Portrait of Captain Sidney Smith (1764-1840), imprisoned at the Abbey of Paris, captured in 1795
MMM5481764 Portrait of Captain Sidney Smith (1764-1840), imprisoned at the Abbey of Paris, captured in 1795, during the wars of the French Revolution, on the coast of France

Sir Walter Raleigh
5305206 Sir Walter Raleigh.; (add.info.: Portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh (1554-1618) an English landed gentleman, writer, poet, soldier, politician, courtier, spy and explorer

Exact description of French flat-bottomed boats, intended to transport troops for the invasion of England
MMM5484837 Exact description of French flat-bottomed boats, intended to transport troops for the invasion of England, as they were seen sailing in Charente Bay (France)

Old man spying through keyhole. From Illustrierte Sittengeschichte vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart by Eduard Fuchs
1000860 Old man spying through keyhole. From Illustrierte Sittengeschichte vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart by Eduard Fuchs, published 1909.; Private Collection.

Two young men spying on the ladies in a women's bathouse in the 19th century
1000868 Two young men spying on the ladies in a women's bathouse in the 19th century. From Illustrierte Sittengeschichte vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart by Eduard Fuchs

I Can See You
Alfonso Novillo

Hidden. Well... Almost
Fabien BRAVIN

watching you
Thomas LENNE

Is the world outside wonderful?
Yu Jin

AI IMAGE - Portrait of Christine Keeler, 1960s, (2023). Creator: Heritage Images
AI IMAGE - Portrait of Christine Keeler, 1960s, (2023). Keeler (1942-2017) was a British model who, during the Cold War, had an affair with a married Cabinet minister, John Profumo

"The Prodigal Son", drawn by S. Read, 1860. Creator: M. Jackson. "The Prodigal Son", drawn by S
"The Prodigal Son", drawn by S. Read, 1860. Warily, almost stealthily, with bated breath and cautious step, the youthful figure crossed the terrace walk

Narihira Watching Court Ladies of Oshu Province, c1766. Creator: Shunsho
Narihira Watching Court Ladies of Oshu Province, c1766. Series: Tales of Ise in Iroha Order

Sur la scène/Dans les coulisses, 1853. Creator: Honore Daumier
Sur la scene/Dans les coulisses, 1853. On Stage/Behind the Scenes. (In the wings, an actor, dressed as a Roman, exchanges something with another man (the theatre manager?). From Croquis Parisiens

Pour une belle vue, v'là une belle vue!, 1847. Creator: Honore Daumier
Pour une belle vue, v'la une belle vue!, 1847. Pour une belle vue, v'la une belle vue!...j'decouvre tout Paris...tiens j'vois ma maison...tiens j'vois ma femme...tiens j'vois

Pour une belle vue, v'là une belle vue!.. 1847. Creator: Honore Daumier
Pour une belle vue, v'la une belle vue!.. 1847. Pour une belle vue, v'la une belle vue!...j'decouvre tout Paris...tiens j'vois ma maison...tiens j'vois ma femme...tiens j'vois

L'Acteur...on voit bien qu'il fait chaud... 1856. Creator: Honore Daumier
L'Acteur...on voit bien qu'il fait chaud... 1856. L'Acteur...- On voit bien qu'il fait chaud...trois spectateurs dans la salle...faut-il commencer

The Great Battle at Ichinotani during the Genpei Wars (Ichinotani Genpei Okassen), 1853. Creator: Yoshikazu
The Great Battle at Ichinotani during the Genpei Wars (Ichinotani Genpei Okassen) (image 1 of 3), 1853. The Great Battle at the Minamoto

Satyr Spying on Sleeping Nymph, Antiope, 1645-1680. Creator: Toussaint Gelton
Satyr Spying on Sleeping Nymph, Antiope, 1645-1680

Le defaitisme et les grands proces; l'affaire du " bonnet rouge"; trois condamnes: Landau... 1917
Le defaitisme et les grands proces; l'affaire du " bonnet rouge"; trois condamnes: Landau en haut, Duval et Leymarie, 1917

Le defaitisme et les grands proces; l'affaire du "bonnet rouge"; l'accusateur: le lieut... 1917
Le defaitisme et les grands proces; l'affaire du "bonnet rouge"; l'accusateur: le lieutenant Mornet, commissaire du gouvernement, 1917

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"Unveiling the Shadows: A Glimpse into the Intricate World of Spying" In times of war, secrets whispered can unleash devastation. As a chilling reminder, a propaganda poster from World War I boldly declares, "Careless talk costs lives. " The art of espionage took on many disguises during this era; one such example was German spies masquerading as women to gather intelligence undetected. Fast forward to 1960 when the U-2 spy plane soared through the skies with fictitious NASA markings. This remarkable aircraft pushed boundaries and blurred lines between truth and deception. Meanwhile, military spies found an unlikely ally in pigeons equipped with cameras, capturing enemy territory from above. Delving further back in time reveals Curiosity's enchanting presence in Pears Annual Christmas edition of 1892. Even then, curiosity fueled mankind's desire for hidden knowledge. In August 1940, Old Bill and Co. , armed with determination and wit, embarked on daring missions that would shape history. George Blake's name echoes through time as he defied loyalties during the Cold War era. His betrayal sent shockwaves across nations and exposed vulnerabilities within intelligence networks. La Vie Parisienne paints a picture of intrigue in 1920s France—a world where secrets danced behind closed doors. The allure of invisible ink adds another layer to this clandestine realm—messages concealed within plain sight yet only revealed by those privy to their existence. During the US Civil War, observation balloons floated above battlefields like silent guardians watching over troops below. World War I brought forth skilled artists who captured vital information through drawings—an ingenious blend of creativity and espionage at its finest. Finally, Lockheed U-2 spy aircraft emerged in the 1950s as technological marvels capable of penetrating even the most fortified defenses.