Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
1862
photographic
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1862
photographic
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This 1862 photo shows actor Sam Cowell in costume, holding a prop. He stands stiff, like actors did for early photos. The backdrop is plain—just a dark cloth—so the costume stands out. Most Victorians bought these small albumen prints as keepsakes. They clipped them into albums or sent them like postcards. Actors posed this way for publicity. Check out the same pose in a carte de visite at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
