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 Walker, C.B., held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This is a Victorian actor’s photo from the 1800s. Walker, C.B. took the shot. It’s a stiff-backed image on card stock. People back then loved collecting tiny albumen prints called “cartes de visite.” They showed actors, views, and famous art. These cards were small like visiting cards and hugely popular in the 1860s. Check out more cabinet cards at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
This photograph by C.B. Walker from around 1850 depicts the actor Henry Irving in an albumen print on card, typical of the "cartes de visite" format popular in the 1860s. The image was part of a larger collection of theatrical portraits assembled by Guy Tristram Little, who later donated the albums to the Victoria and Albert Museum. These small visiting-card-sized photographs were widely collected during the 1860s before being replaced by larger "cabinet cards" in the late 19th century. The collection reflects the Victorian era's fascination with photography and theatrical celebrity.
Read the full account in the museum source.
C.B. Walker spent years lurking backstage at New York theaters, camera in tow, waiting for actors to let their guard down between takes. He caught them mid-yawn or adjusting a wig, not the posed glamour shots everyone…
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
