Florence, from the Ballet Queens series (N182) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

Curator: I’d like to introduce you to "Florence, from the Ballet Queens series (N182)", an 1889 print produced by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the slightly unsettling colour palette. The clashing red bows against the sickly yellow and pale flesh tones creates a disconcerting feeling of forced gaiety. Curator: It's fascinating to view these promotional cards in our present moment; consider how these "Ballet Queens" were presented to the public via tobacco products, intertwining consumption and performance. How does the image promote certain gendered and class expectations, I wonder? Editor: Well, observe how the composition is overtly symmetrical, framing Florence’s figure within the vertical format of the card. The artist's use of colour washes and blurred outlines gives a sense of movement to what is a rather static pose. There’s a clear attention to visual balance. Curator: But let's also consider the representation of labour. Florence and the other "Ballet Queens" embody the performance of femininity, particularly as it pertains to stage work, commodified for mass consumption in ways that reflect very specific social roles. What is concealed through all these red bows? Editor: Perhaps we are drawn to this period precisely because of its overt performativity and constructed visual grammar, even within the decorative arts. What do you make of the rough drawing? Does this enhance the sensation of "art" for the every-day person? Curator: It feels both nostalgic and fraught to me. We look back, dissect the layers, and realise these seemingly innocent images carried coded messages. Their influence ripples across time. Editor: It makes you wonder about the relationship between subject and audience. How much control did Florence truly possess, when mass consumption defined how she was to be seen? Curator: Precisely, those are questions that still linger in the world around us!