Trix Fricanza, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1890 - 1895

Curator: There’s a certain melancholic stillness to this print. It reminds me of faded photographs discovered in an old family album. Editor: This is "Trix Fricanza," a print dating from around 1890 to 1895, part of the Actors and Actresses series issued by Duke Sons & Co. as a cigarette card. It employs a combination of drawing and photography. Let’s dive into its materiality. These cards were designed to stiffen cigarette packs, but they quickly evolved into collectible items. Curator: Knowing its intended purpose, I'm drawn to the construction of celebrity and the performance of femininity that it represents. Note the carefully staged pose – the languid lean, the elaborate gown… It speaks volumes about the prescribed roles for women in the late 19th century and the burgeoning culture of celebrity. This wasn't just about selling cigarettes, but selling an image. Editor: Precisely! The means of production become critical here. Cheap paper, mass-produced prints… it democratized art in a way, making these images of actors and actresses accessible to the masses. However, that accessibility came at the cost of labor—consider the factory workers churning these out by the thousands. Curator: The cultural impact is undeniable. These cards circulated widely, shaping public perceptions of beauty, talent, and success. The gaze is constructed here—who is Trix looking at, who is consuming her image? This speaks to much broader discussions around agency and the male gaze. Editor: Absolutely. The material itself reveals layers of economic and social relationships that we can analyze to deconstruct dominant narratives of high art. Each cigarette card is an artifact loaded with social information about labor, consumption, and early marketing tactics. The subtle gradations, are these coloured pencils as the AI-tag claims? Curator: Exactly. The subject embodies that ideal of feminine beauty within constraints of her time, the visual is in dialogue with cultural narratives that continue to affect discussions about body image, beauty standards, and fame today. Editor: Looking at this small piece, I’m reminded of the power in scrutinizing seemingly simple, everyday objects to understand larger socioeconomic forces. Curator: I find myself contemplating what it means to preserve these transient objects and, in doing so, challenge canonical narratives of art history to accommodate overlooked contributions and perspectives.