V&A Blog Explores Tennis Photography from Its Collection

A blog post on the Victoria and Albert Museum website examines how tennis is depicted in four photographs from the museum’s collection. The author, a tennis fan, focuses on the visual language of the sport rather than its outcomes. The earliest image, 'Tennis Players' by George Fowler Webster from about the 1900s, shows a grass court in England with two players and no ball, emphasizing geometry and architectural lines. Bert Hardy’s 'The Different Gibson Girl', published 30 June 1951, features Althea Gibson in a dynamic pose, her racket raised, capturing tension before impact. An anonymous photograph of Suzanne Lenglen from the 19th–20th century shows the player suspended in mid-air, isolating movement. Michael Bennett’s 'Aunt Edie Playing Tennis', made between 1973 and 1976 as part of his series 'The Family', presents a quiet moment of readiness, with a dog visible beyond the fence. The post argues that these archival photographs preserve anticipation, effort, and pause, making the game visible even when the ball is absent. The images are part of the V&A’s collection, with museum numbers RPS.1157:40-2026, PH.1809-2024, 58-1965, and E.329-2013.