Women sit around a table in a sepia toned old photograph

The Staged Photograph

From costume portraits to comic and sentimental stereographs

This exhibition presents staged photographs taken between the mid-19^th and early 20^th centuries, illuminating the popular culture of the time.

These photographs were created in the photographic studio, with its painted backgrounds and props, where people came to have fancy dress or special outfits captured. Studio photographers also created tableaux, using posed models to stage scenes to tell stories, sentimental or comic. The most popular format was the stereograph. Even the home backyard became a stage for family portraits, posed in the manner of the studio.

Featuring enlarged reproductions, and original examples of glass negatives and stereographs from the historic photograph collection, The Staged Photograph is a fascinating delve into an unfamiliar photographic history.

Featured photographs from the exhibition

A balck and white photograph of a girl wrapped up in advertising banners in a green card frame — [Sunlight Soap Girl], photograph: Lorna Studios, Glebe, cabinet card, donated by Lydia Bushell, 2023, Macleay Collections: HP2023.8.1

Sepai tone image of two girls in fancy dress as a fairy and princess — [Portrait of two girls in fancy dress] c.1855–65, photograph: Freeman Brothers, Sydney, NSW, carte-de-visite, Macleay Collections: HP2012.23.5

black and white photo on cardboard captioned of a woman asitting on a mans knee and another woman enraged with a broom — ‘You Hussy, let my Husband alone’ c.1895, publisher: Rose Stereograph Company, stereograph (single image), donated by Sandra Savides, 2014, Macleay Collections: HP2014.3.1198

vintage photo of two men attacking a woman in a chair — 'A Pair of Drawers' c.1895, publisher: Rose Stereograph Company, stereograph (single image), donated by Sandra Savides, 2014, Macleay Collections: HP2014.3.1621

a black and white photograph of men and women in a sitting room reading books, the women's dresses are hand painted in green and blue — [An Evening at Home] c.1855–60, photographer: James Elliott, hand-coloured stereograph (single image), donated by Sandra Savides, 2014, Macleay Collections: HP2014.3.1769

sepia tone image of women in night dresses in a bedroom — ‘Approaching Footsteps – “Hurry Girls. The Old Cat’s nearly here”’ c.1902, publisher: H. C. White Company, stereograph (single image), donated by Sandra Savides, 2014, Macleay Collections: HP2014.3.459

a vintage photo of a wedding scene. the bride and groom kneel before a reverend surrounded by onlookers, pink, green and blue hand painted floral detials a — ‘Solemnization – the Nuptial Ceremony’ c.1901, publisher: Underwood & Underwood, stereograph (single image), donated by Sandra Savides, 2014, Macleay Collections: HP2014.3.479

a black and white photo of a chaotic scene with two men chasing after something and two women shouting or maybe running away at them — ‘Bliss Disturbed’ c.1903, publisher: Keystone View Company, stereograph (single image), donated by Sandra Savides, 2014, Macleay Collections: HP2014.3.481

Two children, toddler age, dressed in fancy dress as princess with flowing gown and floral crown and a boy in a button up coat and pointed hat — [Portrait of a young Jean Cunningham and Master Hurlstone in English court costumes] c.1914–20s, photographer: JG Park, glass negative, half-plate, donated J Park, 1981, Macleay Collections: HP80.49.319

three children stand in front of a banner hanging over a wooden fence — [Two boys and a girl posed against a paling wall with a makeshift backdrop], c.1914–30, photographer: Oliver Emery, glass negative, half-plate, donated by O. Emery, 1983, Macleay Collections: HP83.43.25

a black and white photograph of a teen girl in a white dress with silver stars — [Portrait of Miss Larsen wearing a Silver Star Starch costume], c.1914–20s, photographer: JG Park, glass negative, half-plate, donated J Park, 1981, Macleay Collections: HP80.49.965

women gather around a table in an ornate parlour wearing big dresses — Header image: Mark Anthony (attributed), [Staged parlour scene], England circa 1855-65, half stereograph, donated by Alison Skeels, 1982, Macleay Collections, HP82.56.154

Header image: Mark Anthony (attributed), [Staged parlour scene], England circa 1855-65, half stereograph, donated by Alison Skeels, 1982, Macleay Collections, HP82.56.154

Closed Sunday 4 August

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staged photo from the chau chak wing museum with children in Halloween costumes

Discover staged photos before the smartphone

The Chau Chak Wing Museum presents The Staged Photograph, an exhibition exploring images from the mid-19^th and early 20^th centuries from Australia, Britain and the United States.