More Real than Life: 19th-century Portrait Photography

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, 9 June-24 September 2017

The dawn of photography in the mid-19th century made portraiture accessible to a much wider public. This exhibition explored early photographic studio portraiture, including the popular carte-de-visite format.

It examined how photographic techniques, backdrops, props, costumes and poses enabled public figures – ranging from Oscar Wilde through Ellen Terry to Queen Victoria – to fashion and promote their own identities. It also suggested how studio photography contributed to the modern idea of celebrity.

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Curated in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery, it also featured loans from the University’s Cadbury Research Library and Research and Cultural Collections.

This exhibition was curated by: Alice Benbow, Joy Corcec, Catrin (Megan) Evans, Xiyao Ma, Emma Marley, Laura Segal, Roseanna Smith, Anita Ubertone, Ainsley Vinall, and John Walker.

Visit the More Real Than Life Web page

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The exhibition had an excellent reception, with visitor comments including:

‘Always worth a visit to the Barber. Another really interesting exhibition.’

‘Fascinating insight into a different form of portraiture. Very informative and enjoyable.’

‘Most illuminating and beautifully curated.’

‘Most interesting and well put together exhibition.’

‘Great exhibition! I really enjoy learning about old style photography.’

‘Fascinating exploration of the development of portrait photography.’

Images supplied courtesy of The Barber Institute of Fine Arts.