Fanny Rice, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

Curator: This captivating artifact from 1890 is part of the Actresses series, a promotional set distributed by Kinney Brothers to hawk their Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The piece is titled "Fanny Rice," an albumen print, typical for photographic trading cards from this era. Editor: Oh, she’s marvelous! Immediately, I’m drawn to her gesture, expansive and confident. There's something delightfully performative about it all. You can almost hear the music and feel the stage lights! Curator: The production here interests me deeply, obviously—mass-produced, these cards acted as vehicles of capital but also served to democratize art consumption, embedding popular figures into daily, material exchanges, namely, purchasing cigarettes. Editor: That’s such a clinical read! For me, it's a slice of sheer whimsy! Consider her expression: flirtatious and poised, all while being overtly packaged for consumption… there is an absurd yet clever tension at play here! She knows exactly what role she’s playing, and enjoys the game of it all. Curator: Perhaps. I read more in the production, though. Note the scale, intimate; readily disseminated into pockets and purses, she and many other figures—objects of aspiration—become physically ingrained within personal belongings of the consumer classes. Editor: Absolutely! This form made a star accessible. I keep seeing Fanny in sepia tones, poised for something thrilling to happen... almost like we're getting a peek at a special backstage moment! Curator: I concede—her image did work. By embedding “high” culture like theater into mass-produced goods, it blurs the boundaries between production and artistic intention. The cards become conduits, circulating aspirations alongside capitalist ambitions. Editor: Exactly! Fanny transcends being a simple commodity by being radiant! In a world full of mass-produced dreams, I choose to believe Fanny enjoyed her share of smoke and mirrors, if only just a little!