Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist Reutlinger Studio. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Photography was fresh then, and actors loved these small “cartes de visite.
This photo shows Jean-Baptiste Faure, a singer-actor, in 1874. Reutlinger Studio shot it on stiff card for fans to collect. Photography was fresh then, and actors loved these small “cartes de visite.”
Such tiny portraits cost little. People pasted them in albums like trading cards today. The trend peaked in the 1860s before bigger “cabinet cards” took over.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum next.
Overview
This 1874 photograph, taken by Reutlinger Studio, depicts Jean-Baptiste Faure, a French singer-actor, in a theatrical context. The image is an example of a 'carte de visite', a small, albumen print on glass negative, mounted on stiff card.
Subject & Meaning
Jean-Baptiste Faure, the subject, was a renowned singer-actor. The photograph, likely taken in theatrical costume, served as a collectible for fans, reflecting the Victorian era's fascination with theatrical personalities and the emerging technology of photography.
Technique & Style
The photograph is an albumen print from a glass negative, adhered to a stiff card backing, characteristic of 'cartes de visite'. This format, patented in 1854, was popular for its affordability and ease of collection.
History & Provenance
Part of a large collection assembled by Guy Tristram Little, this photograph was later mounted in an album and bequeathed to the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) upon Little's death in 1953.
Context
Produced during the peak of 'cartes de visite' popularity in the 1860s-1870s, this photograph represents a transitional moment in photography's history, soon to be superseded by 'cabinet cards' in the late 1870s.
Legacy
As part of the V&A's Theatre Collections, initially founded on Mrs. Gabrielle Enthoven's theatrical collection (for which Guy Little served as solicitor and executor), this photograph contributes to the historical record of Victorian theatrical culture and the evolution of photographic technology.
Artist & collection
Artist
This studio took photos of actors backstage in the 1800s. Their collection shows five theatrical portraits from the 1860s to 1900, all labeled Guy Little Theatrical Photograph. You’ll find the 1874 portrait, a clear…
