George Cruikshank
1860/69
Medium
Albumen print (carte-de-visite)
Dimensions
Image: 7.2 × 3.5 cm (2 7/8 × 1 7/16 in.); Paper: 9.1 × 5.9 cm (3 5/8 × 2 3/8 in.); Card: 10.2 × 6.2 cm (4 1/16 × 2 1/2 in.)
Classification
carte-de-visite (albumen)
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
34706
Art Historical Context
This charming carte-de-visite captures the likeness of George Cruiksh, the renowned British caricaturist and illustrator1792–1878), produced by the London photography firm W. Walker and Sons 1860–1869. Measuring just 7.2 × 3.5 cm, this tiny albumen print exemplifies the intimate scale of these "visiting card" photographs, which became a sensation across Victorian society. Affordable and collectible, cartes-de-visite allowed admirers to own portraits of celebrities like Cruikshank, famous for his satirical etchings and collaborations with Charles Dickens. The albumen printing process, using eg...