Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
1850
photographic
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1850
photographic
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a 1850 photographic by Mayall, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This is a Victorian-era photo of actor Kyrle Bellew. Studio portraits like this were common for famous performers. People collected these small photos the way we save selfies today. These were called cartes de visite. They were thin paper photos glued to card stock. The trend started in the 1860s and faded by the 1890s. Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum next.
This 1850s albumen print by Mayall depicts actor Kyrle Bellew in a theatrical portrait, produced as a carte de visite—an albumen photograph on card stock measuring roughly the size of a visiting card. The image was created from a glass negative and bears the photographer’s printed name on the backing, reflecting a common Victorian practice of collecting such cards, which featured not only performers but also landscapes and artworks. The photograph is part of a larger collection of cartes de visite and cabinet cards assembled by Guy Tristram Little, who removed them from their original mounts…
Read the full account in the museum source.
John Jabez Mayall carried a camera like a pen—he treated portraits like candid jokes.
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