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

Curator: This is an 1889 print called "Miss Jarbeau, from the Actresses series," published by William S. Kimball & Company. Editor: There's a wistful quality to her pose, that salute almost seems a farewell. And those theatrical costumes! It really emphasizes her legs and midriff while covering everything above the clavicle. Curator: The "Actresses series" was a set of trade cards distributed with Kimball cigarettes. These cards, very popular in the late 19th century, often depicted actresses, athletes, or other public figures. Kimball sought to capitalize on the emerging cult of celebrity and create collectables to boost sales. Editor: It’s amazing to think about how this tiny portrait worked to project ideas of beauty and success. Even her costume, with that symbolic crest on the breastplate – it all feels so loaded with unspoken messages. Curator: Absolutely. It's carefully constructed image. The outfit looks loosely derived from traditional performance clothing of commedia dell'arte. Yet, it’s altered. Made a little bit cheeky. That costume certainly played a role in constructing a desirable image, furthering her fame while driving consumer desires. Editor: Exactly! The costume reads like an archetypal Amazon—an armored woman on the frontlines of entertainment! The gesture is powerful as well, echoing a common heroic position across millennia, linking this “modern woman” to mythic feminine forms! It speaks to something deep and enduring about her impact, and celebrity more generally. Curator: What’s so interesting is considering how these relatively inexpensive cards participated in establishing, and normalizing particular beauty ideals at that time. The series helped reinforce certain socio-cultural values. These images not only sold cigarettes, but sold a vision of the modern woman in public life. Editor: A modern Amazon, indeed! I wonder what Miss Jarbeau would have made of her immortality via the wrapper of a cigarette packet. An fascinating encapsulation of fame, commerce, and identity. Curator: Precisely. And that makes looking at an item such as this far more interesting, perhaps, than the initial glance might indicate.