Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist Alexander Bassano. It dates from 1882 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The image is an 1882 portrait of actress Alma Murray in her role as Georgina from the production of Money at London’s Vaudeville Theatre.
About this work
This photo captures Alma Murray playing Georgina in the play Money at the Vaudeville Theatre.
This photo captures Alma Murray playing Georgina in the play Money at the Vaudeville Theatre. Alexander Bassano took it in May 1882. It’s a theatre portrait, not a candid shot, actors posed for these to sell or share.
Photography was new then. Most actors had studio photos made for fans. This one uses an albumen print on stiff card, a popular style in the 1800s.
If you like this, check the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
The image is an 1882 portrait of actress Alma Murray in her role as Georgina from the production of Money at London’s Vaudeville Theatre. Captured by the noted photographer Alexander Bassano, the picture is an albumen print mounted on a stiff card, typical of the photographic formats popular in the late Victorian era.
Subject & Meaning
Murray is shown in full theatrical costume, embodying the character she performed on stage. Such portraits served both as promotional material for the production and as collectible memorabilia for admirers of the theatre and its performers.
Technique & Style
The photograph was produced using the albumen process, wherein a glass negative was coated with egg‑white emulsion and printed onto paper. The resulting image was then affixed to a card bearing the photographer’s imprint, a format that bridged the earlier cartes de visite and the later cabinet card styles.
History & Provenance
Originally part of a larger assemblage of cartes de visite and cabinet cards, the print was later removed from its original backing and placed in an album by Guy Tristram Little, a solicitor and collector who died in 1953. Little bequeathed his collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it now resides.
Context
During the 1860s and 1870s, photographic portraits of actors became fashionable, allowing the public to acquire likenesses of their favourite performers. These images were often exchanged as visiting‑card sized prints before larger cabinet cards and postcards became the dominant formats.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alexander Bassano took photographs of actors on stage and in costume during the late 1800s.
