Deneulain & Blake

Deneulain & Blake made early photographs of actors in costume from the 19th-century London stage. Their only work in this set shows Guy Little costumed for a role, standing in front of a painted backdrop of Drury Lane Theatre. The photograph preserves a fleeting moment: the actor’s pose, the texture of the fabric, the soft edge of the gaslight glow.

Tap the image to step into a single footlight beam and see how the studio props hold the drama still.