Card 670, Fanny Rice, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 7) for Dixie Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is an undated card, made by Allen & Ginter for Dixie Cigarettes, titled "Card 670, Fanny Rice, from the Actors and Actresses series." The sepia tones of this card, small enough to fit in a cigarette pack, evoke a sense of the past, an immediate nostalgic link to a bygone era. The composition is dominated by the figure of Fanny Rice, an actress, captured in profile. Her striking posture—the curve of her back, the tilt of her head—creates a dynamic, almost defiant presence within the small frame. The formal arrangement is particularly intriguing; the vertical stripes of her skirt clash with the horizontal lines implied by her pose, creating a visual tension. This tension hints at the destabilization of conventional roles. The costume itself, with its blend of masculine and feminine elements, suggests a blurring of gender lines, a challenge to the fixed categories of identity. Notice how this tension between formal elements subtly reflects broader cultural shifts questioning established norms. Art does not offer fixed meanings, but dynamic reinterpretations.