Mme Colette, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

Curator: What a curious piece. This is "Mme Colette," a print from the Actresses series, created around 1889 by William S. Kimball & Co. It’s currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: My initial impression is of faded charm. The sepia tone lends a dreamy, almost melancholic quality, and the subject’s gaze draws you in. It is an interesting compositional approach for a commercial print. Curator: Indeed. It's a fascinating example of how commercial enterprises, in this case a cigarette company, participated in shaping public imagery and celebrity culture during that era. The “Actresses” series was essentially a form of advertising, capitalizing on the fame of stage actresses to promote their brand. Editor: The actress seems to have paused between takes, a sort of theatrical tableau, frozen in time through the photographer's artistry. Look at how the artist used contrast here! It is stark but has subtleties I would not expect of this kind of production. Curator: Consider how these cards circulated. They were distributed widely, slipped into cigarette packs, reaching a broad audience. This offered not only a piece of art to working class Americans, but also subtly promoted an image of aspiration and a taste of the theatrical world to which few had access. Editor: The fact that her stance appears to take influence from photography’s painterly stage, along with that sense of theatre, contributes to a dreamlike state—there’s a blurring of the real and performative that makes it uniquely appealing. Curator: It's crucial to remember these images existed within a very particular socio-political context. The actresses featured represented a shifting perception of women in public life. They were both celebrated and scrutinized. Kimball was tapping into this dynamic. Editor: Seeing her against a manufactured, painterly scene heightens her otherworldliness—the composition, the subtle play of shadow on the fabric of her gown, almost imbues her with something more than reality. It really gives an idealized sensation, it isn't just photojournalism. Curator: Absolutely. Thinking about this today really speaks to art's engagement with social, and political histories. Images shape not only art and identity, but also influence societal behaviors. Editor: It highlights a fascinating intersection between art, performance, and commercial strategy, all playing on a very interesting picture that is not simply documentative. Curator: A fleeting snapshot offering a layered reading. Editor: Well said!