W. & D. Downey

These sisters turned a London studio into a backstage pass for Victorian theater. While actors waited between acts, they snapped photos of their costumes and poses—think candid shots of famous performers in full character. You’ll find these in the Guy Little collection, where each print feels like a time capsule of 19th-century showbiz. Tap any one to step into the wings and see how performers really looked, not the stiff portraits they sold to fans.