Mlle. Zuillos, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

This sepia photograph of Mlle. Zuillos, Paris, was produced by Goodwin & Company as part of the Actors and Actresses series for Old Judge Cigarettes. The composition is striking, with the diagonal line of the balustrade cutting across the frame and creating a dynamic tension. The textural contrast between the smooth skin of the subject and the rough stone of the balustrade emphasizes the constructed nature of the image. Her body, posed in a theatrical manner, destabilizes the traditional portrait, moving away from a fixed representation of identity. Consider the semiotic implications of the photograph. The cigarette advertisement uses Mlle. Zuillos as a sign, associating her image with the pleasure and sophistication the brand wishes to convey. This interplay between performance, identity, and commercial messaging reflects a broader cultural engagement with representation and desire. It is a snapshot, not just of a performer, but of a society negotiating new forms of spectacle and consumption.