[Nine Portraits in Original Passe-Partout]

About this artwork

This assemblage of nine portrait photographs in their original passe-partout (decorative mat) represents late Victorian popular photographic culture and the period's fascination with celebrity and political figures. Created by James William Bailey in the 1880s, these albumen silver prints with applied color capture notable figures including Charles-Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, William Ewart Gladstone, and Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. The applied color, added by hand to black-and-white photograph...

Art Historical Context

Step into the world of late Victorian celebrity culture with *Nine Portraits in Original Passeout*, a charming 1880s assemblage crafted by British photographer James William. This intimate collection features albumen silver prints from glass, hand-tinted with applied color to bring nine notable figures to life—including political heavyweight William Ewart Gladstone, French leader Charles-Louis-Napole Bonaparte, and the stylish Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. Housed in their original decorative passe-partout mat within a neat 34.9 x 34.9 cm frame, the tiny portraits (as small as 4 x 3.5 cm) evoke the era's cartes-de-visite and cabinet cards, affordable keepsakes for the masses. The hand-applied color was a clever pre-color-photography trick, transforming stark black-and-white images into vibrant likenesses that captured public imagination. Bailey catered to a booming market for images of royalty, politicians, and stars, blending technical innovation with popular appeal. Preserved intact at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (acquired in 2010 via donor funds), this piece reveals Victorian display habits—owners curated these grids to signal allegiances or admirations. More than mere photos, it's a snapshot of material culture: how everyday Brits collected and showcased fame, turning personal walls into statements of the zeitgeist. A delightful window into an image-obsessed age!

About the Artist

James William Bailey|Charles-Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte|William Ewart Gladstone|Albert Edward Prince of Wales (British|French|British|British) · |1808 |1809 |1841 – |1873 |1898 |1910

British|French, Paris 1808–1873 Chislehurst, Kent| |British, 1841–1910