Photograph: M. Lavinia Warren standing in a dress

M. Lavinia Warren stands, wearing in dotted dress. Her hair is braided and she wears gloves. Another garment sits on the stool to her left. Photographs like this one were often sold as a part of exhibitions, and in the case of performers whose claim to fame was related to their physical appearance or a developmental disability, the staging in photographs helped to emphasize their differences. This was accomplished by consciously manipulating clothing, props, the backdrop, and all other elements of the photograph in order to draw attention to their particular traits. The question of who was responsible for the staging, be it photographer, manager, or performer, varied greatly. Mercy Lavinia Warren nee Bump (October 31, 1841-November 25, 1919), then Mercy Lavinia Magri, was a well known entertainer during the 1800s. She began her show business career on a river boat, as exhibiting those with dwarfism was profitable at the time. Warren signed with P.T. Barnum at age 21, along with her younger sister Minnie Warren, who also had dwarfism. Later on, Lavinia began to date fellow Barnum performer Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb), and the two eventually wed. They worked and toured together as celebrities, and had a happy marriage. Following Stratton's death, Warren married Primo Magri, an Italian entertainer of a similar stature to Warren, on April 6, 1885. Magri and Warren operated a roadside stand in Middleboro, Mass. Warren died on November 25, 1919, and is buried besides Stratton at Mountain Grove Cemetery. Charles D. Fredericks and Co. 87 Broadway NY. Measures 2.5 by 4 inches.