Actress wearing red fringed fez, from Stars of the Stage, First Series (N129) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1890

Editor: This is "Actress wearing red fringed fez," from the series "Stars of the Stage," a print created around 1890 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. She has a dreamy gaze. How would you interpret this portrait from a formal perspective? Curator: The composition is key. Notice how the artist frames her face with the dark fez, drawing our attention to her gaze. The use of color, primarily pastels, softens the overall effect, lending an air of gentility. Editor: I see what you mean, the colour palette really does stand out, however, are you implying the image might be using these design aspects to communicate something in particular? Curator: Precisely. Consider the use of line—the delicate hatching in her skin contrasting with the bold outline of her costume. This contrast creates a visual tension, preventing the image from becoming overly sentimental. Does the framing serve to place her "on a pedestal"? Is it drawing attention to what a "star" may have looked like? How is that reinforced by the other visual elements of the piece? Editor: Ah, the visual tensions add a sense of power beneath the delicate colour palette. Is the actress's gaze meant to draw us in, to engage? Curator: The gaze functions as an open signifier, does it not? Note how the line of her jaw mirrors the lines of the collar, framing her expression as both poised and somewhat impenetrable. How do these visual elements work in tandem to construct meaning? Editor: I now see how the careful composition, use of line, and the subject's gaze all interact to communicate the cultural figure of the "star." Thank you! Curator: Indeed! Reflecting upon the formal arrangement opens paths to insight of function, context and significance.