Card 488, "Take a Smile!", from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 5) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: Here we have "Card 488, "Take a Smile!", from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 5) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes," dating from around 1885 to 1891. It’s an albumen print. I'm struck by the tonal range, the limited color palette, and how that impacts my perception of the subject's expression. How do you approach this image formally? Curator: Notice first the very tight cropping around the figure's head and shoulders, drawing our attention solely to the face. The lighting is diffused, creating a soft focus effect which diminishes surface detail, yet allowing subtle variations in light and shadow to model the planes of the face. Note, also, the tension between the geometric rigidity of the card format and the organic asymmetry of the subject’s features. Does this interplay evoke particular concepts? Editor: Perhaps a feeling of imposed order upon natural beauty? Is that kind of tension common in this type of portraiture? Curator: Frequently, but it’s heightened here through the combination of a snapshot-like composition combined with carefully controlled lighting. We should not neglect to discuss the graphic design, including the series name and the advertising information. Consider how they function as integral elements that engage in a call and response between two- and three-dimensional space. Are you considering its semiotic function? Editor: You mean how it acts as a signifier? I see that now! So, while seemingly straightforward, its aesthetic power lies in this tension and in how it functions as a sort of advertisement/art hybrid. Thank you! Curator: Precisely! Paying attention to these nuances heightens our understanding and enjoyment of even the most humble of artworks.