Miss Emerson, from the Actresses series (N246), Type 1, issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes 1888 - 1892

Curator: Here we have "Miss Emerson, from the Actresses series," created between 1888 and 1892 by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. It's a print, a small card really, designed to be included in packs of Sporting Extra Cigarettes. Editor: It's arresting how modern she seems! I’m immediately drawn to her steady gaze. It's an intimate yet composed portrait, bathed in sepia tones that lend it a nostalgic aura. Curator: These cards served a dual purpose – advertising cigarettes while also offering miniature portraits of popular actresses. It reveals much about the societal expectations placed on women in the late 19th century, navigating burgeoning commercial culture while reinforcing notions of beauty and fame. These women were commodities, much like the cigarettes themselves. Editor: And it speaks volumes about the iconography of beauty at that moment in history! The oversized, floral-brimmed hat, the soft waves framing her face... it’s a codified visual language signifying idealized femininity. Think of the weight that ornamentation holds, the ways these very signifiers constructed, and perhaps constricted, identity. Curator: Absolutely. Consider, too, the very limited avenues of opportunity available for women at that time. For many, the stage offered a means of self-expression, albeit within parameters set by a patriarchal society. It becomes crucial to unpack the relationship between representation, agency, and the pervasive commodification of female figures. Editor: I am particularly drawn to her lips, full but pressed firmly together – it adds an air of quiet determination. And it draws a visual connection across the ages – her quiet dignity as portrayed in this mass produced object gives voice to silent women, speaking through image about dignity despite being consumed as image-object in consumer capitalism. Curator: Indeed. And it also provides an entry point to examine the history of advertising and its influence on cultural perceptions. As a study, this unassuming tobacco card serves as a potent lens through which to consider the complexities of identity, representation, and power. Editor: In these miniature lines and fading sepia tones, echoes of untold stories resonate. They whisper to us, across time, revealing truths about beauty and commodity in a complicated dance that has, unfortunately, far from ended.