A bride at her looking glass thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level F , Case X, Shelf 546, Box A

A bride at her looking glass

Photograph
1855-1860 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
A stereograph is a pair of photographic images of the same subject taken from slightly different angles. This gives the illusion of a single three-dimensional image when viewed through a stereoscope designed to hold it. Sometimes, as here, stereographs were coloured by hand in paints or inks to make them more enticing and life-like.

Ownership & Use
Stereographs were mass-produced. Viewing them was a popular amusement carried out in the home from the 1850s until the early 20th century.

Subject Depicted
In this image a bride is seen looking into an ornate, gilded mirror. Only the reflection of her face is visible. It is a depiction of a presumably private moment which we might not normally expect to see. However, the camera has allowed us to spy on this event. Domestic, moral or private scenes were typical subjects of popular stereographs.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleA bride at her looking glass (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Albumen print mounted on glass
Brief description
Stereograph by James Elliott depicting 'A bride at her looking glass'. Great Britain, ca. 1855-60.
Physical description
Stereograph depicting 'A bride at her looking glass'.
Dimensions
  • Height: 8.4cm
  • Width: 17.4cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 14/05/1999 by LH
Gallery label
British Galleries: STEREOSCOPE AND STEREOGRAPHS
Various dates, 1854-1901
This stereoscope is typical of those used in Victorian homes for education and amusement. Stereographs (paired photographs taken from slightly different angles) were placed in the holder and then adjusted until the viewer saw the scene in three dimensions.(27/03/2003)
Object history
Stereoscope made by Underwood & Underwood, New York, USA; stereographs by James Elliott (British, active 1850s-1880s)
Subjects depicted
Summary
Object Type
A stereograph is a pair of photographic images of the same subject taken from slightly different angles. This gives the illusion of a single three-dimensional image when viewed through a stereoscope designed to hold it. Sometimes, as here, stereographs were coloured by hand in paints or inks to make them more enticing and life-like.

Ownership & Use
Stereographs were mass-produced. Viewing them was a popular amusement carried out in the home from the 1850s until the early 20th century.

Subject Depicted
In this image a bride is seen looking into an ornate, gilded mirror. Only the reflection of her face is visible. It is a depiction of a presumably private moment which we might not normally expect to see. However, the camera has allowed us to spy on this event. Domestic, moral or private scenes were typical subjects of popular stereographs.
Collection
Accession number
E.1626-1992

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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