Henry Mullius is an artist. 1 work is cataloged here, principally at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Henry Mullius spent his days backstage at London theaters, where he snapped candid photos of actors between scenes. His favorite trick? Slipping a long exposure while the house lights were dimmed, so the crowd blurred into ghostly shadows behind the sharp figure in the spotlight.

If you’ve ever seen a period photograph where the star is crisp but the audience looks like a smudge of smoke, that’s probably him. Hunt down his Guy Little Theatrical Photograph, it’s the next best thing to eavesdropping on a 19th-century play.