James Gardiner Collection: Victorian album

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<p>This album contains 35 cartes de visite photographs depicting private and theatrical female impersonation, 1850s-1890s. The majority of the black and white photographs have been hand-coloured, particularly over the dresses and accessories, in tones of pink, blue, green and purple. The album is contemporaneous with the photographs and were likely brought together in the 1890s.</p>
<p>Whilst female impersonation during the late 19th and 20th centuries was seen primarily as a form of entertainment by mainstream audiences, the images can also be read to show hidden sexual and gender non-conforming identities. Some of the records contain a description provided by James Gardiner which may include his own interpretation or further contextual information on the image and its subjects.</p>

James Gardiner Collection: Victorian album.

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