Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist Herbert Rose Barraud. It dates from 1887 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This photograph depicts Leonora Braham as Rose Maybud in the 1887 play Ruddigore.
About this work
This photo shows Leonora Braham as Rose Maybud in the 1887 play *Ruddigore*. Herbert Rose Barraud took it during a Victorian era when actors posed for publicity shots.
Albumen prints on cards were the social media of the day. Studios like Barraud’s sold stacks of these to fans who swapped or collected them.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum for more on this era of theater photography.
Overview
This photograph depicts Leonora Braham as Rose Maybud in the 1887 play Ruddigore. It is an example of a theatrical portrait from the Victorian era.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures Leonora Braham in character as Rose Maybud, a role she played at the Savoy Theatre. The photograph served as a publicity shot, likely used to promote the production.
Technique & Style
The photograph is an albumen print, a common technique during the Victorian era. It was taken by Herbert Rose Barraud, a studio photographer known for his portraits of actors and actresses.
History & Provenance
This photograph was part of a large collection assembled by Guy Tristram Little, a collector and solicitor who bequeathed it to the V&A. The image was originally mounted on card as a 'cabinet card', a popular format for photographic portraits during the late 19th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Herbert Rose Barraud took black-and-white photos of theater actors in the late 1800s.
