Sepia Selfies! How the Victorians invented photos for sharing

Selfies, Self-Expression, Celebrity & the Victorian Carte de Visite

A lavishly illustrated talk by Mark Hill (Antiques, Collectables & 20thC Design Specialist, BBC Antiques Roadshow Presenter)

From the late 1850s to the mid-1870s a new craze gripped the world. Photography had just begun to be popularised and suddenly nearly everyone could afford a portrait of themselves to share with others. These small photographic portraits mounted on card were shot professionally in studios and handed out like business or greetings cards – just like we share ‘selfies’ on today’s social media. Across nearly two decades, over 400 million cards were estimated to have been printed and shared with friends, family, and fans. We 21st century people may think we invented the ‘selfie’, but we didn’t – welcome to the Victorian carte de visite.

Visit TASHA.org.uk or the tickettailor link above to book guest tickets (£10). Free coffee from 10am, talk starts at 10.30am.