Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by Henri de la Blanchiere. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This photograph is titled Guy Little Theatrical Photograph.
It was taken by Henri de la Blanchiere in the 19th Century. Photography was new and exciting back then. People collected photos like these, called 'cartes de visite', which were like visiting cards with pictures on them.
You can learn more about this kind of photography at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
This 19th-century photograph, titled 'Guy Little Theatrical Photograph', depicts Rachel, presumably an actress, captured by photographer Henri de la Blanchiere. The image is part of a collection once mounted in albums by Guy Tristram Little.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, Rachel, is portrayed in theatrical costume, reflecting the Victorian practice of actors commissioning photographs in character or everyday attire for distribution as 'cartes de visite' or 'cabinet cards'.
Technique & Style
The photograph is an albumen print from a glass negative, adhered to a stiff card backing, characteristic of 'cartes de visite' (patented 1854) or possibly the later 'cabinet cards', distinguished by their size and durability.
History & Provenance
Originally part of Guy Tristram Little's extensive collection of theatrical photographs, this piece was bequeathed to the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) upon Little's death in 1953, alongside his other holdings.
Context
Created during photography's emergence in the Victorian era, this work represents the popular trend of collecting theatrical and portrait photographs, which were novel and exciting at the time.
Artist & collection
Artist
Henri de la Blanchiere spent his days in a cramped studio above a Paris theater, where the smell of greasepaint and old costumes clung to his coat sleeves.
