1939 Studio Photograph Marion Lange as Ethel Barrymore in The Royal Family For Sale

This silver gelatin studio portrait captures a young woman posed in an indoor setting, with soft key lighting and atmospheric backlighting from three candles positioned behind her head. She wears a light-colored dress with a wide pointed collar and short puffed sleeves, fabric that appears to be satin or silk with a subtle woven pattern, characteristic of early 1930s formal attire. Her hair is styled in tight finger waves, and she wears bracelets on both wrists and a ring on her right hand. To the left, a window with patterned curtain or blind is visible; to the right, a dark draped object—possibly a piano or covered furniture—creates a dramatic backdrop. The print shows slight overall yellowing consistent with age, a faint diagonal crease in the lower right corner, and minor surface wear and dust specks. The image quality retains good contrast and detail.Pencil inscriptions on the verso identify the subject as Marion Lange portraying Ethel Barrymore in *The Royal Family*, dated 1939. The play, written by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber, premiered in 1927 and satirized the Barrymore acting dynasty; Ethel Barrymore was a celebrated stage and screen actress of the era. The inscription suggests this photograph documents a stage production, tribute performance, or costume event in which Lange assumed the role. A vertically oriented number "32" appears in darker pencil, likely an inventory or sequence reference. The back also shows scattered reddish-brown spots and a diagonal crease in the lower left corner.