Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This photograph shows Sir Charles Santley, an opera singer. It was taken around 1893 by the London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company.
Back then, actors and singers often posed for these photos. Studios used glass negatives to print them on stiff cards. These were called “cartes de visite” or later “cabinet cards.”
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see this photo and more like it.
Overview
This photograph depicts Sir Charles Santley, a notable opera singer, captured by the London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company around 1893.
Subject & Meaning
The image is a portrait of Sir Charles Santley, an opera singer, likely taken to commemorate his career or a specific performance.
Technique & Style
The photograph is an example of a 'cabinet card', a format that superseded 'cartes de visite' in popularity during the late 1870s, characterized by an albumen print on stiff card backing.
History & Provenance
The photograph was part of a large collection assembled by Guy Tristram Little, a collector and solicitor, who bequeathed it to the V&A upon his death in 1953.
Artist & collection
Artist
London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company
They snapped portraits for London’s theater crowd in the 1800s, turning actors and dancers into instant celebrities.
