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H. Granville Barker in Character

A work made of platinum print.

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  • A work made of platinum print.

Date:

1900

Artist:

Frederick H. Evans
English, 1853–1943

About this artwork

Best known for his painstakingly planned and printed images of cathedral interiors, Frederick H. Evans was elected to the Linked Ring, a London Pictorialist group, in 1900. That year, Evans abandoned the meticulous, sharp style of his architectural views and instead took up portraiture employing a painterly, soft focus, which he had formerly used in landscapes. On July 1, 1900, Evans was present for the private London performance of Candida, a daring play written by his close friend George Bernard Shaw six years earlier. At this event he photographed the enterprising young actor Harley Granville Barker in character as the poet Eugene Marchbanks, who competes for the affections of the play’s title character, the wife of a clergyman. Unusual for Evans, this picture emphasizes the shape of the figure, and the background has been all but removed through close vertical cropping.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Photography and Media

Artist

Frederick H. Evans

Title

H. Granville Barker in Character

Place

England (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1900

Medium

Platinum print

Dimensions

20.8 × 9.9 cm (8 1/4 × 3 15/16 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by Charles and Ruth Levy Foundation

Reference Number

1974.217

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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