Miss Bell, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

Curator: At first glance, this sepia-toned image conveys a certain intimacy. It's a portrait of Miss Bell. Editor: Indeed. This portrait is one of the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. around the 1880s to promote their Duke Cigarettes. These photographs are located right here at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curator: The composition is compelling. There's an immediate sense of hierarchy as we observe Miss Bell elevated in her pose, her gaze averted, yet assertive. Editor: I agree. The way her clothing and the set around her almost blend is crucial. We see her pose reflected through the society she navigates, a world where performance and presentation were currencies for women. This was during a time of shifting gender roles; women like Miss Bell were both celebrated and scrutinized for their visibility. Curator: Absolutely, especially when the distribution of these photos were through cigarettes. There is almost an intertwining, a symbolic co-mingling of the societal expectations thrust upon women and the very industry pushing those norms into everyday spaces through the selling of idealized performance. Editor: Focusing on her placement, her posture is quite fascinating, her leg crossing gives an expression of comfort that belies the actual restriction she experiences as a spectacle within a spectacle. It is echoed in the framing and small format of the artwork, which compresses our view of Miss Bell into a very discrete, controllable viewing space. Curator: Very true! It's difficult not to see her representation here without connecting her circumstances to the present state of celebrity culture and public image, the expectations around gender expression and commercialization, as well as how public figures are received then versus how they're handled today. Editor: These observations have helped to clarify the relationship between its technical framework and larger implications regarding how female identity has, and perhaps, still is constructed in popular culture. Curator: Ultimately, exploring these works allows us to hold the art of the past alongside contemporary socio-cultural concerns.