Guy Little Theatrical Photograph

The picture is an albumen print derived from a glass negative, typical of mid‑Victorian photographic processes. It was originally mounted on a stiff card bearing the photographer’s imprint, a format known as a carte de visite, which measured roughly the size of a visiting card and featured a glossy surface created by silver salts in the emulsion.

The card belonged to a larger assemblage of cartes de visite and cabinet‑card portraits that were later stripped from their original backs and compiled in albums by Guy Tristram Little (d. 1953). Little, a solicitor and avid collector, bequeathed the collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum, linking the image to the broader theatrical archive of Gabrielle Enthoven.

During the 1860s and 1870s, such photographic cards became fashionable souvenirs, circulating among theatre audiences and collectors. They documented not only scenic views and artworks but also the faces of performers, bridging the worlds of visual and performing arts in the Victorian era.