Dress Up: Portrait and Performance in Victorian Photography

Ellen Spiro once said, “The most interesting part of a photograph is that which is not seen.” It is the story behind the photograph that makes it intriguing and distinctive. I believe the same is true for just about everything. “The world is…made of stories” and it is our duty to tell them as accurately as we can (Ellen Spiro). When I visited the Dress Up: Portrait and Performance in Victorian Photography exhibit at the Harry Ransom Center, I was exposed to a number of these stories and their restorations. Crossing the exhibition’s threshold, I was immersed in its history, so that its past became my present.

As I entered the exhibit, the first artifact that I encountered was the Gutenberg Bible.
Seeing this celebrated Bible gave me a strange sense of comfort and excitement. It made me feel connected to all Christians past, present, and future. This piece of my history was one of forty-eight surviving copies and one of five complete copies left in the world today, so obviously this was a once in a lifetime experience. As I looked at its handwritten words, I found a new appreciation for the Bible and everyone involved in its creation and preservation. It was interesting to see the differences in the Bibles of early Christianity and the Bibles nowadays.
Not only was this Bible written in Latin, the language of our ancestors, but also each page contained unique intricate artwork that had survived the ages. I was overcome with a sense of joy and peace as I realized that I was part of something that went beyond my life and me, that had transcended centuries and that will continue to affect generations to come.

Next, the exhibit led to a wide array of Victorian photography. These pictures all demonstrated the Victorian elements of a controlled setting with a fixed identity. In the first set of photographs, all of the models were essentially “playing a part” instead being themselves. Each photo told a story and it was interesting trying to decipher through the artist’s creativity what it was supposed to be. One of my favorite photos was “The Lady of Shallot” by Henry Peach Robinson.
This photo was a reenactment of Alfred Lord Tennyson’s famous poem and captured the tragic nature of the poem perfectly. Another section of pictures was of people who’s photographers had put them in a fixed pose with corresponding items to reflect their status and who they really were. The images ranged from wealthy soldiers and royalty to paupers on the street. Each photo beamed with hope and self-awareness and was a unique tale within itself. The Victorian photographs accurately depicted the ideas of the era and allowed me to understand and be part of its significance.

My last stop in the exhibit was a camera in which I was to become the photographer and take a self-portrait, the only guidelines reading “BE YOURSELF.” At first I was confused and could not decide upon a pose, but after simply following the directions, it clicked. As I jumped into the air and giggled with glee, I knew that a part of me would be left there forever!