Remarkable, signed 1886 photograph of the great composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) resonates with a picaresque image of a then-73-year-old Verdi somewhat wearied by his constant imbroglios with Italian censors but compelled to carry on his work. Lending even greater historical heft is that 1886 marked the completion of his 7-years-in-the-making opera "Othello," the most powerful of his tragic-heroic works like "Aida," "Rigoletto," and "Don Carlos." Because Verdi's stirring melody and human dramas struck a chord in an Italy struggling for freedom and unity, he became revered, thus one can appreciate what a status symbol this early 3x 4" oval-shaped photo of him made into an impressive 4 x 6" cabinet card. Verdi's signature on the lower front in black fountain pen is surrounded by an arching line around it, a flourish added by Verdi himself. While the first name is rather light and sketchy, "Verdi" is still perfectly clear and legible, and the overall grade of the master's signature is a fine 6. There is other writing on the front under the photo that is faded but the date "1886" is crystal clear. Another beguiling aspect of the piece is that on the back are written notations in blue pen reading, "Paris 7 Marzo, 1886, Gaspar Villate, G. Verdi" -- securing the fascinating provenance of the card being signed to Villate, Verdi's fellow composer and close friend whose own operas frequently opened in Paris. Back also has the stamp of the Sebastianutti & Benque photo studio of Milan. The card itself is overall FR-GD and the sig is faded but readable. Came from an imprtant signed opera collection out of Cuba. In terms of rarity, it's peerless.