Florine, from the Ballet Queens series (N182) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

Editor: This print, titled "Florine, from the Ballet Queens series", was created around 1889 by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. It’s rendered in colored pencil. It strikes me as somewhat of a caricature, not just a portrait. How would you interpret this work, keeping in mind its cultural moment? Curator: Well, let’s consider Kimball's company and the world of cigarette cards. These weren't created as "high art," but as promotional items. So, we need to consider their social function. They popularized images of performers and fed a growing interest in celebrity culture. It begs the question, how did images like these contribute to the popular perception and, arguably, the objectification of female performers at the time? Editor: That’s a good point. The pose seems theatrical and maybe a bit exaggerated, even. But, also kind of empowering. Curator: Precisely. And that tension is revealing. Were these images genuinely celebratory, offering admiration and visibility to these women? Or did they primarily serve the capitalist aims of the tobacco company, using the allure of female performers to sell products, reinforcing societal power dynamics? What kind of "gaze," would you say, does it imply or encourage in its original context? Editor: Hmmm, so, in other words, it's not enough to see it just as a drawing of a ballerina; it's a cultural artifact with layers of meaning about commerce, celebrity, and the way women were perceived? Curator: Exactly. By examining its origins and purpose, we understand that this seemingly simple print reveals complexities about art, marketing, and social perceptions in late 19th-century America. Editor: I hadn’t considered the role of advertising so explicitly before. It makes me think about who is in control of the image, the company or the performer. Thanks, that perspective gives me much to think about.