Who painted Guy Little Theatrical Photograph?

Guy Little Theatrical Photograph was painted by Unknown in 1899.

Where can I see Guy Little Theatrical Photograph?

Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Guy Little Theatrical Photograph?

Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Guy Little Theatrical Photograph

Unknown , 1899

Guy Little Theatrical Photograph is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist Unknown. It dates from 1899 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

This photo shows a woman in a curly wig and fancy coat, posing like a nobleman.

This photo shows a woman in a curly wig and fancy coat, posing like a nobleman. The background is plain, so the costume and pose stand out. The glass negative made her face sharp and her clothes glossy.

Backstage photos like this were new in 1899. People bought small prints to collect actors they loved. Evie Greene was a big star in “L’Amour Mouillé.”

See more stage photos at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Overview

The image is a late‑19th‑century photographic portrait of the actress Evie Greene, captured in costume as Prince Carlo from the production L’Amour Mouillé at London’s Lyric Theatre. The picture is a studio‑style portrait, with a plain backdrop that emphasizes her elaborate wig, coat and aristocratic pose.

Subject & Meaning

In the photograph Greene appears in male dress, a common theatrical device of the period that highlighted the fluidity of gender roles on the Victorian stage. By portraying a princely figure, the image underscores the star’s versatility and the spectacle of costume drama that attracted contemporary audiences.

Technique & Style

The portrait is an albumen print made from a glass negative, a standard process for ‘cartes de visite’ and later ‘cabinet cards’ in the Victorian era. The glass negative yields a crisp rendering of facial features and a glossy sheen on the costume, while the paper is mounted on a stiff backing typical of the period’s collectible photographic formats.

History & Provenance

The print originated as part of a larger set of cartes de visite and cabinet cards that were later removed from their original card backs and compiled in albums by Guy Tristram Little (d. 1953). Little, a solicitor and avid collector of theatrical ephemera, bequeathed the assembled albums to the Victoria and Albert Museum, where they now form part of the museum’s Theatre Collections.

Context

During the 1860s and 1870s, collecting small photographic portraits of actors became a fashionable pastime, with cartes de visite serving as both personal mementos and social tokens. By the 1890s the format had shifted toward larger cabinet cards before being superseded by postcards. Greene’s portrait reflects this trend, offering a glimpse into the commercial and social practices surrounding theatrical celebrity at the turn of the century.