Brother of Lincoln Assassin, John Wilkes Booth

(1833-93) The son of Junius Brutus Booth and brother of the infamous President Lincoln assassin, John Wilkes Booth. He established himself as the foremost American actor of his day. After 1863, he co-managed the Winter Garden Theater in New York City where he staged Shakespearean tragedies including Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and Othello. The production of Julius Caesar starring him, and his two brothers, Junius Booth and John Wilkes Booth, as well as his 100 night appearance as Hamlet, were milestones in American theater history. After the assassination of President Lincoln by his brother John, he retired from the stage until January 1866, when he returned to the Winter Garden as Hamlet. He continued his brilliant career for nearly 20 years thereafter in the United States, the British Isles, and continental Europe.

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 4 card. Seated pose. Backmark: E. & H.T. Anthony, 501 Broadway, New York. Made from Photographic Negative in Brady's National Portrait Gallery. Corners of the mount are slightly trimmed. "Edwin Booth" is printed in period ink on the front mount. Very fine.