Guy Little Theatrical Photograph

Created as an albumen print from a glass negative, this photograph was mounted on stiff card backing, characteristic of 'cartes de visite' or 'cabinet cards', depending on its size.

Originally part of Guy Tristram Little's extensive collection of theatrical photographs, it was bequeathed to the V&A upon his death in 1953, having been removed from its backing and re-mounted in an album.

Produced during the Victorian era when photography was a novel technology, such images catered to the public's desire for collectible portraits of performers, reflecting the intersection of theatre, photography, and popular culture.

As part of the V&A's Theatre Collections, initially founded on Mrs. Gabrielle Enthoven's theatrical collection (for whom Little was executor), this photograph contributes to the historical record of 19th-century theatrical personalities and the evolution of photographic technology.