Artwork
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph
Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist Unknown. It dates from 1879 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. A black and white photograph depicts an actor in costume, identified as Henry Irving as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice.
About this work
You see a black and white photo of an actor in costume. He’s in a dark coat with a white beard and a frown. One hand clutches a book. His other hand rests on a table covered in papers.
This shot was taken in 1879. Back then, photos like this were new. People loved collecting them, like trading cards. They showed actors on stage or in character.
It’s part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection.
Overview
A black and white photograph depicts an actor in costume, identified as Henry Irving as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice.
Subject & Meaning
The actor, dressed in a dark coat with a white beard, frowns while clutching a book in one hand and resting the other on a table covered in papers, capturing a moment from the character Shylock.
Technique & Style
The photograph is an example of a 'cabinet card', a format that gained popularity in the late 1870s, characterized by an albumen print made from a glass negative, attached to a stiff card backing.
History & Provenance
Taken in 1879, the photograph was later collected by Guy Tristram Little, who amassed a large collection of 'cartes de visite' and 'cabinet cards', eventually bequeathing them to the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Artist & collection
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