Jane Hading in Costume of Ostiaks, Russia, from the set Actors and Actresses, Second Series (N71) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888 - 1890

Curator: The piece before us is titled "Jane Hading in Costume of Ostiaks, Russia," part of the Actors and Actresses series produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. sometime between 1888 and 1890. Editor: Ah, those old cigarette cards. They always had this air of theatrical romanticism. Looking at this one, I'm immediately struck by the… strangeness, almost cartoonishness of the costume. It feels so "other," like a fairytale figure got beamed into a vaudeville show. Curator: It's interesting that you use the word "other," as the series, like many popular visual materials of the era, engaged with the then-burgeoning interest in ethnography and global cultures. This image, likely a chromolithograph print based on a drawing, catered to that curiosity, albeit through a somewhat stereotypical lens. These cards had the social function to give access to different cultures to average americans, like exotic digital postcards. Editor: Stereotypical, yes, absolutely. But also beautifully rendered, I think. There's a dreamlike quality to the watercolor illustration that I appreciate. It gives her a kind of serene and maybe a bit melancholic appearance. She does have something almost a pre-raphaelite woman here. I can also see how japonisme could have influenced it; there's this graphic simplicity, a flat perspective reminiscent of Japanese prints. Curator: Exactly! The "Academic Art" approach ensured the portrait would possess a refined air suitable for bourgeois taste. The "japonisme" elements gave it this contemporary allure by referencing global motifs that were already trendy at the time, and gave status. But it’s vital to keep in mind that these representations were often divorced from accurate cultural understanding. This image likely reinforced preconceived notions about Russia and its indigenous peoples. Editor: I imagine many who collected this just cared about the beautiful woman instead! Still, the act of distribution matters so much, too. Putting it on tobacco makes you think how these things might have just circulated among specific networks. Like some proto-instagram post! And the caricatured aspects are certainly… well, they’re telling. Curator: Yes, indeed. The circulation of images like this speaks volumes about cultural consumption and power dynamics at the time. So it provides invaluable insights into that era. Editor: Well, it is lovely in its way and full of contradiction as well! I would like to put it on my desk.