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

Editor: So this is a print from 1890, by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, featuring a photograph titled "Kittie Wells, from the Actresses series". It looks like it was used to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes! I'm immediately struck by the sort of theatrical romanticism. What stands out to you in this image? Curator: The thing about these cigarette cards is that they offered everyday access to a slice of glamour, didn’t they? Before film, even before widespread photography, you could hold an image of a star in your hand… Imagine collecting them, trading them… What narratives were people building around these personalities, I wonder? Do you think her slightly world-weary expression tells us anything? Editor: I hadn't thought of that. There’s something melancholy in her eyes, definitely not the huge smile you might expect on a promotional card. I suppose it's fitting given that genre painting, drawings and photography are used to create this piece. The floral wreath almost feels like a shroud instead of something celebratory, and I'm curious to know more. How did popular culture integrate the ephemeral nature of theater with material objects? Curator: Nicely observed. It's like capturing lightning in a bottle, isn't it? Theater is fleeting; this card is tangible. And consider the layers – photography reproducing a figure who reproduces another role for the theater! She’s surrounded by this somewhat wild and overgrown depiction of nature in the backdrop, contrasted to the clearly artificial arrangement of the floral wreath. She’s on display, the ephemerality of celebrity frozen for just a moment in time. Editor: So the card preserves both a real woman and her role. The convergence of theatre, industry, and portraiture…fascinating! Thanks, that really opened my eyes to a richer meaning! Curator: Indeed! These seemingly simple promotional items can reveal so much about a culture's desires, dreams, and even anxieties, can’t they?