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

Editor: Here we have a vintage print, "Gladys Thodore," part of the Actresses series dating back to 1890, crafted by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The photo depicts a young girl, probably an actress. The sepia tones give it such a wistful feeling. How would you interpret this little slice of history? Curator: Well, aren't we lucky to peek into this moment! For me, it's about layers, dearie. A photograph advertising cigarettes—right there, a collision of innocence and industry. What do you see in her eyes? Such seriousness, isn’t it? But maybe a glimmer of performance already. Or am I just projecting like a broken movie reel? What is that object she has in her mouth? A piece of chalk? A clarinet reed? Editor: I hadn't considered the "performance" aspect so literally, I saw that look simply as melancholy. I think it is maybe a prop from a theatre set? Like part of a fence or gate? I was so intrigued by the object she has. It is huge in her hands. And that it is made for cigarettes seems quite a weird pairing. Curator: Melancholy is there for sure! Think about the actress then. Plucked, polished, placed for public pleasure. But yes, those uncanny juxtapositions are exactly where art gets its zing! Editor: I hadn't really thought of the complicated role of the girl in this image until now. It's more than just a pretty face selling cigarettes. Curator: Exactly! History's like a dusty attic full of odd treasures and unsettling secrets. Isn’t it fabulous? Editor: Absolutely! Thanks for shining a light on that today.