{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O187441"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O187441/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BY7392/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BY7392/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009BY7392","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O187441/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O187441","accessionNumber":"S.144:56-2007","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Henry Russell (1812-1900)","type":"named collection"}],"summaryDescription":"Henry Russell (1812-1890) was an extremely popular baritone, composer and pianist, born in Sheerness, Kent, who made a success on both sides of   the Atlantic with his songs about Negro American life. In one advertisement in The Musical World , 27 September 1844 for an appearance by him at  London's Hanover Rooms he was described as 'the American Vocal Illustrator'. \r\n\r\nPhotography was a novel and exciting development in Victorian days. Most actors and actresses had studio photographs taken, in everyday dress or theatrical costume, for ‘cartes de visite’, and later ‘cabinet cards’.  Both were albumen prints made from glass negatives, attached to stiff card backing printed with the photographer’s name. \r\n\r\n‘Cartes de visite’, the size of  formal visiting cards, were patented in 1854 and produced in their millions during the 1860s when it became fashionable to collect them. Their subjects included scenic views, tourist attractions and works of art, as well as portraits. They were superseded in the late 1870s by the larger and sturdier ‘cabinet cards’ whose popularity waned in turn during the 1890s in favour of postcards and studio portraits.\r\n \r\nThis photograph comes from a large collection of ‘cartes de visite’ and ‘cabinet cards’ removed from their backings and mounted in albums by Guy Tristram Little (d.1953) who bequeathed them to the V&A.  A collector of greetings cards, games and photographs, Guy Little was a partner in the legal firm Messrs Milles Jennings White & Foster, and the solicitor and executor of Mrs. Gabrielle Enthoven, whose theatrical collection formed the basis of the Theatre Collections at the V&A.","physicalDescription":"Sepia photograph of Henry Russell.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"King, Horatio Nelson","id":"A20231"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Sepia photograph on paper","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2009BY7392"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES409908"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"cartes-de-visite","id":"AAT127141"}],[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"Yes-general","note":"NB: The term \"negro\" was used historically to describe people of black African heritage but, since the 1960s, has fallen from usage and, increasingly, is considered offensive. The term is repeated here in its original historical context."}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1860","earliest":"1855-01-01","latest":"1864-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.2903-1994","id":"O1163613"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.1738-2009","id":"O185314"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.901-2014","id":"O1292107"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.571-2014","id":"O1284274"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"9.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"5.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Henry Russell / Composer of \"Cheer boys Cheer\" / father of / Landon Ronald / Henry Russell + / W Clark Russell / (novelist) / H N King / Bath'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Written in pencil on back of photograph."}],"objectHistory":"NB: The term \"negro\" was used historically to describe people of black African heritage but, since the 1960s, has fallen from usage and, increasingly, is considered offensive. The term is repeated here in its original historical context.\r\n\r\nThis is one of the outstanding collection of 19th century photographs owned by Guy Little presented to the museum in the early 20th century.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph of Henry Russell (1812-1900), ca.1860. Guy Little Collection.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Russell, Henry","id":"N6595"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.144:56-2007"],"accessionNumberNum":"144","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2007,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Guy Little album identification numbering","id":"THES50304"},"number":"GLC XII.ii.2.2"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2009-02-12","availableToBook":true}}