Photograph: Carte de visite of Stratton as General Tom Thumb
Image
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http://hdl.handle.net/11134/110002:492
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Title |
Title
Title
Photograph: Carte de visite of Stratton as General Tom Thumb
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Origin Information
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Digital Origin |
Digital Origin
reformatted digital
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Description |
Description
Carte de visite photograph of Charles S. Stratton in his middle years. He wears a suit and white vest, and looks directly at the camera. Cartes de visite are photographs, usually mounted on a paper card and measuring about 2.5 by 4 inches, popular from about 1850 to the 1870s. Individuals could collect the cartes de visite of various celebrities from different backgrounds including entertainment and politics or sit for portraits themselves. In the case of performers whose claim to fame was related to their physical appearance or a developmental disability, the staging of cartes de visite 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. Charles S. Stratton (January 4, 1838- July 15, 1883), known as General Tom Thumb, was an entertainer and Bridgeport Conn. native who got his start with P.T. Barnum in 1842. Stratton's parents signed him with Barnum at age 4, as exhibiting those with dwarfism was lucrative at the time. Stratton took quickly to performing, and he entertained audiences worldwide, including nobility such as Queen Victoria. Stratton married fellow performer M. Lavinia Warren and the two had a happy marriage. Stratton's performances brought him renown as a celebrity, perhaps one of the biggest at the time, and he and Warren were able to live comfortably when not working. On July 15, 1883, Stratton suffered a stroke and passed away. He is buried at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with his wife beside him. No photographer is named. Likely taken between 1860 and 1870. Measures 2.5 by 4 inches.
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Organizations
Creator (cre): Unknown creator, American
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Use and Reproduction |
Use and Reproduction
This item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. Images and data from The Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library are intended for public access and educational use only. This material is owned, held, or licensed by The Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library and is being provided solely for the purpose of teaching or individual research. All other use, including commercial reuse, mounting on other systems, or other forms of redistribution requires permission of the appropriate department of The Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library; fees may be applicable.
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Note
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Local Identifier |
Local Identifier
PTB-tt-ph012
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