Untitled [portrait of an unidentified actress] 1869 - 1874

This stereograph, a photographic double portrait of an unidentified actress, was made by Jeremiah Gurney and Son in New York, sometime in the mid-19th century. Stereographs like this were produced and consumed as a new form of entertainment for the rising middle classes. The Gurney studio was one of the most prestigious in the city, and they were well-known for their celebrity portraits. This photograph is a product of a celebrity culture, fueled by the growth of newspapers and the increasing popularity of the theater. It is also a product of a new technology, photography, which allowed for the mass production and distribution of images. While the actress in the photograph is unidentified, the image itself tells us about the culture of celebrity in the mid-19th century. To better understand this image and its context, one might research the history of photography, the history of celebrity culture, and the history of the theater in New York. The meaning of this artwork will always be contingent on the social and institutional context in which it was made and received.