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

Curator: Let's turn our attention now to a piece titled "Eleanor Mayo," a captivating image dating back to 1890. Part of the 'Actresses series' it was issued by Kinney Brothers to promote their Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. Editor: Wow, even through the sepia tones and age, her gaze feels so direct, so present. There's something wistful and otherworldly about the way her hair is framed too— almost like she's emerged from a dream, or maybe a theater backdrop. It looks like it’s printed, right? Curator: That's correct, what we're seeing here is a print based on photography, even drawings – quite the innovative marketing approach for the time. Editor: Knowing it was part of an advertising campaign puts it into perspective. It is designed to grab attention, romanticizing the brand via this beautiful actress. How were actresses perceived then? Were they considered 'risqué?' Curator: Actresses were definitely figures of fascination and often controversy. Their visibility made them influential trendsetters, though subject to a lot of moral scrutiny in the press, thus brands leveraged their glamour. This portrait flirts with those ideas, positioning Mayo both as an ideal woman and accessible through a simple cigarette purchase. Editor: It’s funny how the association works, like smoking is the path to such delicate beauty. Even now the photo evokes elegance and simplicity – those curls framing her face seem eternally romantic, beyond tobacco advertisements. Curator: I find it fascinating how the image serves as a time capsule, reflecting societal values, evolving advertising tactics, and, frankly, just our collective longing for beauty in every age. Editor: Indeed, there's more than meets the eye. Eleanor Mayo reminds me to look deeper, beyond the surface and into our dreams, regardless of what cigarettes are advertised at the bottom.