Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist Mayer et Pierson. It dates from 1859 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The image is a portrait of actress Jane Essler captured as a photographic print.
About this work
Overview
The image is a portrait of actress Jane Essler captured as a photographic print. It belongs to the genre of Victorian studio portraiture, where performers were often photographed in costume or everyday attire for personal keepsakes.
Subject & Meaning
Essler’s likeness reflects the 19th‑century practice of documenting theatrical personalities for public and private collections. Such images served both as promotional material for the stage and as personal mementos for admirers.
Technique & Style
The portrait is an albumen print derived from a glass negative, a common process in the mid‑1800s. Originally mounted on a stiff card bearing the photographer’s imprint, the print would have been part of the ‘carte de visite’ format, a small, visiting‑card‑sized photograph popular in the 1860s.
History & Provenance
The photograph originated as part of a larger set of cartes de visite and later cabinet cards. These were later removed from their original card backs and reassembled in albums by solicitor Guy Tristram Little (d. 1953), who bequeathed the collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Context
During the Victorian era, photographic portraiture expanded beyond aristocratic portraiture to include actors, scenic views, and tourist sites. The carte de visite craze, patented in 1854, created a market for inexpensive, collectible images that circulated widely among the public.
Artist & collection
Artist
Mayer & Pierson ran a Paris photo studio where actors slipped into costumes between takes and posed for keepsakes.
