Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by Alfred Ellis. It dates from 1908 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This photograph features Ellen Terry in a scene from Henry of Lancaster, taken at the Borough Theatre in 1908.
About this work
Overview
This photograph features Ellen Terry in a scene from Henry of Lancaster, taken at the Borough Theatre in 1908.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures Ellen Terry, a notable actress, in a theatrical role, reflecting the practice of actors having photographs taken in costume for promotional purposes.
Technique & Style
The photograph is part of a collection of 'cartes de visite' and 'cabinet cards', formats popular during the Victorian era for portrait photography, characterized by albumen prints on card backing.
History & Provenance
The photograph was collected by Guy Tristram Little, a solicitor and collector, who bequeathed it to the V&A as part of a large album of mounted photographs.
Context
The image is set against the backdrop of the late 19th and early 20th centuries' photographic practices, where 'cartes de visite' and 'cabinet cards' were used for various subjects, including theatrical portraits.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alfred Ellis spent most of his career in a cramped studio above a London tailor’s shop, the smell of wool clinging to his camera lenses.
