Miss Fortescue, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1890 - 1895

Editor: This albumen print from between 1890 and 1895, "Miss Fortescue," comes from a series of actors and actresses issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes. There's a faded elegance here, almost dreamlike. What do you see in this piece, looking at it from a contemporary perspective? Curator: I see a meticulously crafted image embedded within a complex power dynamic. We have Miss Fortescue, likely a performer of some renown, her image deployed to sell cigarettes. It prompts the question: how complicit was she in perpetuating the harmful effects of tobacco? Or, was she simply leveraging the limited opportunities afforded women in the late 19th century? Editor: That's a powerful question. It makes me reconsider my initial impression of mere elegance. It wasn’t just about beauty. Curator: Exactly. The gaze she offers is carefully constructed, meant to entice and persuade. Think about the consumer – mostly men – who purchased these cigarettes. This image taps into deeply rooted social anxieties and desires related to gender, class, and consumption. Is she a commodity? Editor: I suppose so, willingly or unwillingly. The cigarette card turns her into one, as the card itself gets consumed with the cigarettes. Curator: Precisely. By unpacking the social and political milieu in which this photograph was produced and circulated, we start to glimpse the complex relationship between art, commerce, and identity formation. Consider also tobacco's relationship to colonialism; how might that inform our reading of this piece? Editor: I never would have considered that! I’m starting to see how one image can contain so many layers. It moves it beyond just an interesting photograph to a commentary on women and commodification. Curator: Indeed. Examining these layers, from the artist's intention to the audience's reception, unlocks a richer understanding of art's role in reflecting and shaping society. Editor: I definitely appreciate the nuance. Thank you!