Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist Boning & Small. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This portrait captures the actress Alma Stanley in a photographic format typical of the late nineteenth century.
About this work
Overview
This portrait captures the actress Alma Stanley in a photographic format typical of the late nineteenth century. The image originates from the era when photography emerged as a popular medium for documenting theatrical personalities, often produced as small, collectible prints.
Subject & Meaning
Alma Stanley, a noted performer of her time, is presented in a pose that reflects both her stage persona and the conventions of portraiture for actors. The photograph serves as a visual record of her public image, intended for distribution among admirers and collectors.
Technique & Style
The print is an albumen photograph, created from a glass negative and mounted on a stiff card bearing the photographer’s imprint. Initially issued as a carte de visite—roughly the size of a visiting card—it later transitioned to the larger cabinet‑card format that became standard in the 1870s.
History & Provenance
The image was part of a substantial assemblage of cartes de visite and cabinet cards that were removed from their original card backs and compiled into albums by Guy Tristram Little (d. 1953). Little, a solicitor and avid collector of ephemera, bequeathed the collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Context
During the Victorian period, photographic portraits of actors were widely circulated as collectibles, alongside scenic views and artworks. The popularity of cartes de visite peaked in the 1860s, later giving way to cabinet cards, and eventually to postcards and studio portraits by the 1890s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Boning & Small spent their days lurking backstage, clipboard in hand, snapping photos of actors mid-breath.
