Photographs allow us to view images from the past like no other medium. Invented in the first quarter of the nineteenth century, black and white photography was well developed by the end of the century. Nevertheless, the necessity for adequate light and a stationary subject led a static quality to many photographs of the time. Virtually all contemporary performing artists had photographs of themselves, often in costume, taken by a professional photographer. The familiar sepia tone cabinet photos mounted on heavy cardboard have stood the test of time better than many recent color snapshots, and show us the performers as they appeared to their admirers who collected these pictures.