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

Editor: Here we have "Miss Mortimer," a print from 1889 issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. It's fascinating how a commercial object like a cigarette card elevates an actress into a portrait. What's your perspective on it? Curator: What immediately grabs my attention is the very act of production and distribution of this card. This isn't some high art displayed in a gallery; it’s mass-produced, intended for widespread consumption. Consider the materials—the paper, the ink, the printing process itself. How do these elements, so linked to industrial manufacturing, redefine our understanding of artistic value? Editor: So, it's less about Miss Mortimer herself and more about how the image was made and circulated? Curator: Precisely! We see how commercial interests permeated artistic creation. The card existed to sell cigarettes, imbuing a product with an aura of glamour, linked directly to a popular actress. This challenges traditional art hierarchies, making us consider the labour and social context that allowed this piece to come into existence. What boundaries did that blur between craft and art in the public's perception? Editor: It definitely reframes how I see these little cards. They’re not just collectibles; they’re reflections of industry and celebrity culture intersecting. Curator: Exactly. The value wasn't just in the image itself, but in the material and processes involved in making it readily available to the masses, prompting a consumer culture where actresses, even briefly, were circulated within commodity exchanges. Did it democratize portraiture by doing so, even within such capitalist frameworks? Editor: It's made me rethink the value we place on "art" when something mass-produced like this was probably much more visible. Thanks, that was very enlightening!