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

Editor: So this collotype, “Nellie McHenry, from the Actresses series,” published around 1890 by the Kinney Brothers, it’s remarkably…sepia, isn’t it? It's more like looking at a ghost than a photograph! What catches your eye when you see something like this? Curator: A ghost indeed, and of a very particular kind! Imagine holding this tiny card, the size of a cigarette pack, gazing into the face of a star, however fleeting. It's like catching a dream, isn't it? The textures of her dress, the slightly blurred edges... it all speaks of fleeting moments, manufactured desire and aspiration, carefully packaged along with your daily smoke. Does it make you think about how celebrity functions, even back then? Editor: I guess it’s the early version of influencer marketing! It makes you wonder how accurate the image even is, and what parts were carefully constructed… like who chose what she wore? Curator: Precisely! And consider the purpose. Kinney Brothers weren’t selling “art”; they were selling an experience. This image wasn’t about Nellie McHenry, the person, but about the idea of her. Each layer of artifice adds to this... she’s not just selling an identity but also an indulgence. I keep wanting to know: if we peeled back the layers, would we find a ‘real’ Nellie, or just more layers? What do you think she might have thought about all of this? Editor: Well, considering she probably got some recognition and maybe some free cigarettes out of the deal, hopefully, she felt like it was worth it? Thanks for opening my eyes to what this portrait card can tell us! Curator: My pleasure. It’s remarkable how something so small can hold so much. Almost makes me want to start smoking… almost.