Marie Sutit as the Wife of a Nobleman of Hungary, from the set Actors and Actresses, Second Series (N71) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888 - 1890
drawing, print
portrait
drawing
caricature
portrait drawing
genre-painting
portrait art
Dimensions: Sheet: 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 in. (7 x 3.8 cm)
Copyright: Public Domain
Curator: The portrait, made somewhere between 1888 and 1890 by W. Duke, Sons & Co., features Marie Sutit in character. It’s titled "Marie Sutit as the Wife of a Nobleman of Hungary" and comes from a series of collectible cards inserted in Duke brand cigarettes. What strikes you first? Editor: Immediately, it’s the self-assured gaze and the bold colour choices – red and gold, strategically deployed, screaming power and status! But also a caricature. There's an undeniable camp element going on. Is that intentional, do you think? Curator: The series depicted actors and actresses, so the theatricality is definitely deliberate, I think! It is quite obviously staged; the dress, her hairstyle and hat all work to underscore her character. It leans into stereotype, certainly, though, rather than nuanced portraiture. It seems as if it's the idea of nobility, the shorthand. Editor: Exactly! It uses signifiers that evoke a cultural understanding of "Hungarian Nobility" but are clearly surface level. I see the tall fur hat with a feather, for example, is referencing status, but maybe there is also a comment on how, at the time, many people considered this nobility in Europe. Like, is she really noble? What signifiers were actually referencing nobility in that specific culture and context? Or the artist is saying that we all perceive it according to a shared idea or stereotype? It opens so many possibilities to think of. Curator: It reminds me that, often, even things that look to be representing specific things in some ways reflect who is doing the representing more. These cards weren’t meant for Hungarians; it reflects an American view. Editor: Right. It makes one ponder the idea of performative identity – how we adopt symbols and visual cues to convey who we are or, in this case, who we’re pretending to be. Marie Sutit, whoever she actually was, now lives within this little card of collected meanings. Curator: She’s forever playing the part! Thank you for your insights. I see a much more complex symbolism thanks to your unique perspective! Editor: And thank you! It's amazing how much is carried within something so seemingly simple and small. Now I need a cigarette… maybe!
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