Cartomania

CARTOMANIA!
A Victorian Photographic Phenomenon
30 October 2019 – 11 April 2020
Free entry – please donate

Cartes de visite were the first form of affordable mass-produced photography. They were wildly popular during the Victorian era. Queen Victoria herself helped spread the craze by building her own collection of cartes. People collected photographs of their families and friends, royalty and celebrities of the day.

Cartomania! explores this early photographic phenomenon through the work of pioneering photographers, including the celebrated Aberdonian photographer George Washington Wilson. This fascinating exhibition looks in detail at the collecting craze, exploring the social impact of photography, changing fashions and how you can date your own cartes de visite.