C. D. Fredericks

C. D. Fredericks shot crisp black-and-white portraits of actors in the 1860s. Their cabinet cards, small, collectible photographs, show performers in costume with painted backdrops. The “Guy Little Theatrical Photograph” series captures stars of London’s West End, their expressions frozen mid-character.

Each print is stamped on the back with the photographer’s name and a price of six shillings. See how the gaslight glare hits a ruffled collar in the 1863 card to spot the era’s lighting tricks.