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

Editor: Here we have a sepia-toned print from 1889, titled "Minnie Parrott, from the Actresses series," put out by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. I see that it's both a drawing and a photograph, housed at the Met. What stands out to me is its original function as a cigarette card. What strikes you about this image? Curator: I find it compelling as an artifact of consumption. It is not just an image, it is a product intrinsically linked to the tobacco industry. The photograph is secondary to its role as a marketing tool. Think about the labor involved: growing the tobacco, manufacturing the cigarettes, producing the card, and finally, the actress whose image is being used. How does understanding its context as a commercial object shift your perspective? Editor: It definitely changes how I see it. The image itself, the portrait of Minnie Parrott, seems less important than its function. The labor chain you described highlights how this "artwork" really exists as a small cog within the large machine of the industry. Curator: Precisely! This also prompts a conversation about class. Who was buying these cigarettes? Who were they seeing reflected in these images, and what kind of fantasy were they consuming along with the tobacco? Editor: So it’s less about high art and more about the everyday consumption of images connected to… everything around it, including material, distribution, and class. This helps to clarify the layers and connections of what seems to be, at first glance, simply a portrait. Curator: Exactly, this image asks us to consider production chains and consumption. Editor: That’s fascinating, and I think helps us all appreciate a small photo card in a completely new way. Curator: I agree, by acknowledging these factors, it grants this print new avenues of significance, I think.