He very likely was- they did that for photos- photos back then were a big deal- they had to sit completely still for a good long time, and often had to have their heads propped against something behind them to keep them from moving- and the photographer likely insisted on them using makeup to cover blemishes- heavy makeup- they didn’t have photoshop back then to make everything look good after- so they overcompensated with makeup, wardrobes, etc-
That’s part of it, but keep in mind everyone in photos from that era is dead...
They only did that for dead people, not for people who were alive. That photo is a composite reproduction.