Alice Verden as Lisa in The Living Corpse

What it is

This is a black-and-white studio photograph by photographer Hugo Erfurth, printed as a postcard, showing actress Alice Verden dressed as the character Lisa. It was made for the Dresden premiere of The Living Corpse, a play written by Leo Tolstoy, performed at the Königliches Schauspielhaus Dresden in December 1913. The photograph is held by the Deutsche Fotothek in Germany.

Why it matters

Tolstoy died in 1910, three years before this performance, so the photograph shows how his work continued to be staged and admired after his death. It reveals how Tolstoy's stories moved beyond the page into theatre, reaching new audiences through actors and photographers like Erfurth who promoted the production.

Look closer

• What does the actress's pose and costume tell you about how theatres marketed plays in this period?
• Why might a photograph like this be made and sold as a postcard?
• What does this image not tell you about Tolstoy's own intentions for the play?