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 1888 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This photograph captures Florence Dysart as Maid Marion in the play The Babes in the Wood at Drury Lane Theatre.
About this work
The London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company took this shot, part of a trend where actors posed in character for fans.
Here’s a photo from 1888 of Florence Dysart playing Maid Marion in the play *The Babes in the Wood*. She’s caught mid-scene at Drury Lane Theatre. The London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company took this shot, part of a trend where actors posed in character for fans.
These photos were tiny calling-card sized prints called *cartes de visite*. People collected them like baseball cards, swapping them like trading cards today. By the 1870s they gave way to bigger, sturdier *cabinet cards*.
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum for more on Victorian theater photos.
Overview
This photograph captures Florence Dysart as Maid Marion in the play The Babes in the Wood at Drury Lane Theatre. It was taken by the London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company in 1888.
Subject & Meaning
The image shows Dysart mid-scene, portraying a character from a theatrical production. It represents a moment from the play, highlighting the actress's performance.
Technique & Style
The photograph is a carte de visite, a small albumen print made from a glass negative and mounted on card. This format was popular during the Victorian era for collecting portraits of actors and other subjects.
History & Provenance
The photograph was collected by Guy Tristram Little, a solicitor and collector of photographs and other ephemera. He bequeathed it, along with other cartes de visite and cabinet cards, to the V&A Museum.
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.
