Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by Etienne Carjat. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This 19th‑century portrait captures the composer Gioacchino Rossini in a format typical of Victorian photographic practice.
About this work
This photograph is from the 19th century.
It's a picture of Gioacchino Rossini.
The photograph was made using a process that was new and exciting at the time, and it's an example of how people used photography to make portraits that could be shared with others.
You can learn more about this type of photography by looking at the work of artist: Carjat, Etienne.
Overview
This 19th‑century portrait captures the composer Gioacchino Rossini in a format typical of Victorian photographic practice. The image is an albumen print produced from a glass negative and was originally mounted on a card that bore the photographer’s imprint. It exemplifies the way portraiture was disseminated through collectible cards during the era.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, Rossini, was a leading figure in early‑19th‑century opera, and his likeness was circulated among admirers and fellow musicians. By presenting him in a formal, studio setting, the photograph reinforces his public stature while offering a personal visual record for fans and collectors.
Technique & Style
Created using the albumen process, the picture relies on a thin layer of egg‑white emulsion to bind silver salts to the paper, yielding fine detail and a warm tonal range. The original format was a small “carte de visite,” roughly the size of a visiting card, later superseded by larger cabinet cards.
History & Provenance
The card was part of a substantial assemblage of cartes de visite and cabinet cards that were removed from their original backs and bound into albums by Guy Tristram Little (d. 1953). Little, a solicitor and avid collector of ephemera, bequeathed the albums to the Victoria and Albert Museum, where they now reside in the Theatre Collections.
Context
During the 1860s the carte de visite became a fashionable collectible, with millions produced for portraiture, landscapes, and artworks. By the late 1870s the larger cabinet card gained popularity, only to be eclipsed in the 1890s by postcards and studio portrait formats, reflecting shifting consumer tastes in visual media.
Artist & collection
Artist
Étienne Carjat was a French journalist, caricaturist and photographer. He co-founded the magazine Le Diogène, and founded the review Le Boulevard. He is best known for his numerous portraits and caricatures of…
