Viola Allen as "The Butterfly," from the series Fancy Dress Ball Costumes (N73) for Duke brand cigarettes 1889

Editor: This is "Viola Allen as 'The Butterfly'," a print made in 1889 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. from the series Fancy Dress Ball Costumes. It’s so small and delicate, almost like a postage stamp! I am struck by the bold choice of colors and how the artist captures Viola Allen’s essence. What details do you find most compelling within its composition? Curator: Note how the composition is structured: the soft background, the detailed costume, the overall symmetry. This immediately invites a conversation on pictorial space. How do you perceive the artist's rendition of depth here? Does it feel traditionally representational, or is there a deliberate flattening of planes? Editor: I see what you mean. It's not super realistic. Everything seems a bit compressed, especially the butterfly headdress. It almost feels like a decorative pattern. How would you describe the interplay between color and form? Curator: Examine how the artist uses color to delineate form and space. The vibrant reds of the costume contrast against the paler blues and pinks of the background. Consider also the textures rendered in this image. While a print, does the mark-making evoke qualities beyond its inherent medium? Do we see any illusion of painterly or drawn gestures? Editor: I think so, yes. It has a slight handmade feel because you can almost see the hatching and cross-hatching in some areas. I’m understanding how important it is to look beyond just the image to the actual techniques and visual structures. Curator: Exactly. Consider how these elements contribute to the artwork’s overall impact. By exploring line, color and form, we can deconstruct its intrinsic properties without necessarily resorting to external narratives. Editor: That makes a lot of sense! I'm learning a whole new language of seeing, by analyzing visual information using structural elements. Curator: Indeed. Now you begin to have a set of tools for approaching diverse visual formats through focused attention on composition, and use of the principles of visual language.