Portret van Henry Irving in zijn rol als Becket before 1893

Henry Herschel Hay Cameron created this photograph of Henry Irving in the role of Becket at an unknown date. In the late 19th century, theater was a major institution, and actors were among the most prominent celebrities. Here, Cameron captures Irving in costume, his face in profile, as Thomas Becket. The choice of subject is revealing. Becket's story, the Archbishop of Canterbury murdered for standing up to the King, spoke to the Victorian fascination with morality, the church, and the law. The image’s soft focus lends a painterly quality. This aesthetic was fashionable at the time and elevated photography to the status of high art. In fact, Cameron was known for his work in pictorialism, an international style and aesthetic movement popular throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. To understand the cultural significance of this photograph, one might consult theater reviews, biographies of Irving, and histories of Victorian photography. Art lives in its context, and historical research helps us appreciate its richness.