Guy Little Theatrical Photographs
1887
photographic
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1887
photographic
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Guy Little Theatrical Photographs is a 1887 photographic by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This photograph shows Nellie Farren, an actress, in a theatrical costume. She's posed in a studio setting, with props and a backdrop. The photo was made for a "carte de visite", a type of small photo card that was popular back then. The "cartes de visite" were a big deal because they made it easy for people to collect photos of their favorite actors and actresses. You can learn more about this type of photography at the museum: Victoria and Albert Museum.
This albumen print depicts Nellie Farren in a theatrical portrait, produced as a carte de visite in the 1860s, a format popular for collecting actor and actress images. The photograph, made from a glass negative, is mounted on stiff card bearing the photographer’s name, reflecting the Victorian trend of theatrical portraiture. Part of Guy Tristram Little’s assembled collection of cartes de visite and cabinet cards, it was later donated to the V&A, contributing to its Theatre Collections. The format, initially widespread, declined with the rise of postcards and studio portraits by the 1890s.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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