Cottingley Fairies

The Cottingley Fairies refer to a series of photographs taken in 1917 by two young girls, Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright, in Cottingley, England. The images appeared to show real fairies and were widely believed, capturing public imagination. However, decades later, the photographs were revealed to be staged with paper cut-outs and staged scenes. The incident raised enduring questions about belief, perception, and the impact of photography on reality, illustrating how convincing images can deceive viewers even when they are intentionally fabricated.