Miss Ugalde, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This commercial card of Miss Ugalde from the Actresses series was created by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. The sepia-toned photograph is composed with the actress centered against a painted backdrop. Her pose, arms crossed, and direct gaze establish a confrontational yet contained presence. The formal structure of the card highlights a tension between public image and private identity, a theme prevalent in actress portraits of the era. The symmetry of her stance is disrupted by the ornate detailing on one leg of her costume, drawing the eye and destabilizing the composition’s balance. This asymmetry introduces a dynamic element that hints at the performative nature of identity. Consider the semiotic system at play here; the actress's clothing and pose function as signs. The card, mass-produced for cigarette promotion, invites viewers to decode Ugalde’s image, blurring the lines between art, commerce, and the construction of celebrity. The formal qualities thus serve a dual purpose, both aesthetic and deeply embedded in the cultural discourse of representation.