Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist Bradley & Rulofson. It dates from 1877 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This black-and-white photograph from 1877 features Clara Vesey, an actress, in costume.
About this work
This is a black-and-white photo from 1877. The artists Bradley & Rulofson took it at their studio. It shows Clara Vesey, an actor, in costume.
Actresses often posed for these photos to sell to fans. The picture was made to fit inside a booklet called a “cabinet card,” popular in the late 1800s.
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
This black-and-white photograph from 1877 features Clara Vesey, an actress, in costume. It was taken by Bradley & Rulofson at their studio.
Technique & Style
The photograph is an example of a 'cabinet card', a format that gained popularity in the late 1870s. It was likely an albumen print made from a glass negative, mounted on card.
Subject & Meaning
Actresses like Clara Vesey often posed for photographs in costume to sell to their fans, serving as a promotional tool and a keepsake.
History & Provenance
The photograph was part of a collection assembled by Guy Tristram Little, a collector and solicitor who bequeathed it to the V&A upon his death in 1953.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bradley & Rulofson was a photo studio c. 1850–1878 in San Francisco with Henry William Bradley (1813–1891) and William Herman Rulofson. Their studio was at 429 Montgomery Street. The California Historical Society -…
