Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
1850
photographic
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1850
photographic
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a 1850 photographic by J. R. James, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This photo shows Carlotta Leclercq, an actress from the 19th century. It’s a portrait by James J. R. taken when photography was new and exciting. Actors often posed for these images to share with fans. These photos came in two sizes back then: small visiting-card prints and larger cabinet cards. Both were pasted onto stiff card backing with the photographer’s name printed below. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more.
This albumen print by J. R. James from around 1850 depicts actress Carlotta Leclercq, produced as a carte de visite during the mid-19th century vogue for collecting theatrical portraits. The photograph was originally mounted on a stiff card bearing the photographer’s imprint, part of a larger collection of cartes de visite and cabinet cards assembled by Guy Tristram Little and later donated to the Victoria and Albert Museum. The carte de visite format, patented in 1854, was widely circulated in the 1860s before giving way to the larger cabinet card in the late 1870s.
Read the full account in the museum source.
J. R. James spent his days tucked in a London attic, printing photos of actors from the 1800s—wigs, ruffles, and all. He didn’t sign most of his prints, so his work was nearly lost until someone noticed the same faded…
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