Mlle. Legrande, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

Editor: Here we have a print from Goodwin & Company, dating between 1886 and 1890. It's called "Mlle. Legrande, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes." It feels quite delicate, almost like a faded memory. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: What I see is a fascinating intersection of commerce and art. We need to look at the materiality of this object - a card produced to sell cigarettes. Consider the labor involved, from the photographers to the printing process, and the tobacco farmers themselves. How does its function as advertisement shape our understanding of this image of Mlle. Legrande? Editor: That’s a good point. So it's not just a portrait, but also part of a bigger industry? Curator: Exactly. The mass production of these cards created a demand, fueled by capitalist motives. Think about the social context of collecting – what did owning this card signify? Who had access to it? Editor: So, it's about access and consumption. How does seeing it that way change how we think about Mlle. Legrande herself? Curator: We must view her not just as an individual, but as a commodity herself. She is participating in a system that profits from her image, promoting an aspirational lifestyle connected to smoking. The blurred aesthetic quality also suggests the fleeting nature of fame and its inherent consumability. Editor: This has completely changed my perspective! I was initially focused on the artistry, but the materialist approach really highlights the power dynamics at play. Curator: Precisely. By examining the material and the process of production, we unlock a far richer understanding of the artwork and its place within a broader economic and social landscape.