Chicago documentary photographer Sigmund Krausz published his Street Types of Chicago in 1892. Rather than take photos on the streets, he lit and posed subjects against a neutral studio backdrop to create what he termed "Character Studies."

How did Krausz select his subjects? Did he pull people off the streets randomly? Or did he choose to photograph only those people who fit his preconceived stereotypes? Answering these questions is difficult, but it's easy to enjoy these faces from the crowd, courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society.