Mae Powers, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

Editor: Here we have "Mae Powers, from the Actresses series," a photograph made in 1890 by Kinney Brothers to advertise Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The sepia tone lends it such an antiquated, dreamlike quality. What strikes you about this portrait? Curator: Well, immediately, it’s interesting to consider the role of this image within the burgeoning culture of celebrity and advertising. Kinney Brothers were essentially leveraging the fame of actresses like Mae Powers to sell cigarettes. It really highlights the complex relationship between art, commerce, and the construction of public personas at the time. Does her pose strike you as natural? Editor: Not really! She's almost recoiling, and that dress seems… youthful, almost childlike. Curator: Exactly! Think about the target demographic. Were they trying to create a specific kind of aspiration or fantasy through Powers’s image? This also underscores the evolving societal views on women, performance, and visibility. To what extent was this image participating in the commodification of femininity? Editor: That’s fascinating. So, beyond just a pretty picture, this portrait is a little window into the societal expectations and marketing strategies of the late 19th century. Curator: Precisely. We have to ask, whose gaze does this image cater to? And what narratives are being constructed around female performers like Mae Powers? Consider the institution promoting this print as well: The Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. What kind of social authority did the tobacco company possess? Editor: I had only considered it a portrait. It's wild to realize how deeply embedded this image is within layers of social and economic context. Thanks for expanding my view. Curator: It is a pleasure. Remember, art, even in advertising, reflects and shapes the world around it. That makes us all responsible for deconstructing the world, especially as viewers!