Snapshots of the Past

[The Houdinis perform Metamorphosis] – Vintage Print

[The Houdinis perform Metamorphosis], [ca. 1895] — historic print
[The Houdinis perform Metamorphosis], [ca. 1895]. Historic print from the Astrology & Magic collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

[The Houdinis perform Metamorphosis] comes to life in this historic print, reproduced from the original with every detail intact. Sourced directly from the Library of Congress, it represents an authentic piece of documented history.

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[The Houdinis perform Metamorphosis]

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The Houdinis' Metamorphosis was an early signature act in which Harry and Beatrice, known as Bess, swapped places inside a closed trunk in the space of a moment, with the curtain briefly drawn. The act helped establish the couple's reputation as a stage team in the years before Harry Houdini became the most famous escape artist of his era. This color halftone reflects the new photomechanical methods that let illustrated publications and posters reproduce images like this one cheaply and in quantity in the 1890s.

Created / published[ca. 1895]
Medium1 photomechanical print : halftone, color.
GenrePortraits 1890-1900.Halftone photomechanical prints Color 1890-1900.
NotesA stunning illusion that continues to challenge master magicians of the 1990s, the performance of Metamorphosis was an early signature piece of the Houdinis.
SubjectsHoudini, Harry,--1874-1926--Performances. Houdini, Beatrice,--1876-1943--Performances. Magic--1890-1900. Magicians--1890-1900.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan1,448 × 1,155 px · prints to 5 × 4 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-217298

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