Imperial Counsellor, from the Occupations for Women series (N166) for Old Judge and Dogs Head Cigarettes 1887

Curator: Let's talk about "Imperial Counsellor, from the Occupations for Women series," created around 1887 by Goodwin & Company. It’s a vibrant little chromolithograph—originally part of a cigarette card set. Editor: My first impression? It's playful, yet uneasy. The colours pop, but there's this air of performance… of someone very self-consciously inhabiting a role, maybe a stereotypical representation. Curator: Precisely. These cards were widely circulated, feeding into a broader culture industry deeply implicated in shaping ideas about gender, class, and race. Note the ‘Occupations for Women’ series title; how does this supposed “imperial counsellor” perform conventional understandings about the period's idealized womanhood? How does she subvert them? Editor: Good point. The title seems to present a novel career avenue for women, yet the figure’s pose and clothing smack of caricature rather than empowerment. Look at the gesture; she reads the document, the sword sheathes down. This almost mocks serious ambition by suggesting gender is like dressing up? The almost burlesque attire undercuts potential authority. It becomes satire! Curator: I think your assessment rings true. In terms of political messaging, images like this naturalized existing social hierarchies. And yet, let’s remember how images circulate and can take on lives far removed from the intentions of their makers. I am sure women may have interpreted this as a humorous statement that can also reveal possibilities that they cannot actually fulfill. Editor: Right, she's performing both visibility and enforced containment. Even today, that tension feels very resonant in discussions around visibility, representation, and who gets to "play" which roles. Curator: Yes, this small cigarette card becomes a window onto much larger questions about gendered performance and expectations. Considering that in 1887 this may be pushing boundaries within some social parameters, its social critique might speak louder than the makers considered at the time. Editor: Definitely gives you pause to consider the complexities buried within even the seemingly simplest of images. Thanks for sharing these interesting observations!