Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by Gutekunst. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The image is a black‑and‑white portrait of Charlotte Cushman, a celebrated 19th‑century actress.
About this work
Overview
The image is a black‑and‑white portrait of Charlotte Cushman, a celebrated 19th‑century actress. Produced as a small photographic print, it exemplifies the type of portrait that theatrical fans collected during the Victorian era. The work is part of a larger assemblage of similar portrait cards that were once mounted in albums.
Subject & Meaning
Charlotte Cushman appears in a composed pose that emphasizes her stature as a leading stage figure. The photograph captures her in a manner intended for public admiration, allowing admirers to possess a likeness of a cultural icon in an intimate, portable format.
Technique & Style
The portrait is an albumen print made from a glass negative, the dominant photographic process of the mid‑1800s. Printed on thin paper and originally affixed to a stiff card, the image displays the fine tonal range and crisp detail characteristic of the era’s studio photography.
History & Provenance
The card originated in the prolific market for "cartes de visite" and later "cabinet cards," formats that circulated widely in the 1860s‑1880s. It was later removed from its original backing and placed in an album by collector Guy Tristram Little, a solicitor who bequeathed his extensive photographic collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Context
During the Victorian period, photographic portrait cards served as early collectibles, akin to modern trading cards. Actors and actresses were frequent subjects, and the cards were exchanged socially, displayed in personal albums, and sometimes used as decorative objects, reflecting the growing public fascination with celebrity culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gute(n)kunst is a southern German surname, literally meaning "good at art". It originates from the Black Forest of the former kingdom of Württemberg. According to some onomasticians, the name describes an "artful" or…
