Charles Kean and Ellen Terry as Leontes and Mamillius 1856

10" x 8" glass plate negative showing actor Charles Kean as Leontes and Ellen Terry as Mamillius in The Winter's Tale which they performed at the Princess's Theatre in London. They are both standing on a patterned carpet. Kean is wearing an embroidered tunic with loose fabric wrapped around the lower part of the body and one of his arms. He is resting a hand on Terry's shoulder. She is wearing a short embroidered tunic and holding the handle of a toy chariot.

The glass plate negative has been photographed showing the coated side and therefore the image appears laterally reversed. Prints from this negative do not seem to exist in the Collection.

The actress Ellen Terry (1847-1928), who was nine at the time that this photograph was taken, made her debut in The Winter's Tale. Queen Victoria attended numerous performances at the theatre and was impressed by the beautiful scenery and costumes.