Annie Robe, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

Editor: This is a fascinating portrait of Annie Robe, made sometime between 1886 and 1890 by Goodwin & Company. It combines photography, drawing, and printmaking in an advertisement for Old Judge Cigarettes. She’s so regal-looking. What story do you think it tells? Curator: This image really captures the complex intersections of celebrity, consumption, and gender in the late 19th century. We see Annie Robe, an actress, her image literally being used to sell cigarettes. Editor: So, it's about how women were viewed and used in that era? Curator: Precisely! Think about it: Robe’s likeness, carefully crafted to project elegance and desirability, is essentially a tool to fuel a capitalist engine. Consider, too, who was consuming these cigarettes and how Robe, as a performer, navigated public perception and her own identity. Was she complicit, or was this a strategic move for visibility in a patriarchal society? Editor: It's uncomfortable to consider she may not have had a say. Curator: Exactly. And what does it mean that this image, aimed at attracting male consumers, objectifies her while simultaneously granting her a certain degree of fame? How does this contribute to a narrative that continues even now, with women’s bodies and images used to sell products, their agency often diminished in the process? Editor: So much to consider! I’ll definitely be looking at similar images differently now. Curator: Indeed. This small image opens up larger discussions about power, representation, and the commodification of the female image – a dialogue crucial to understanding both historical and contemporary societal structures.