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

This is a carte de visite, a small photograph from the 19th century, featuring Mlle. Semin, an actress. It was issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. as part of their Actresses series, promoting their brand of cigarettes. The image shows Mlle. Semin in a posed portrait, sitting on a chair, with her left foot on the chair's seat. Carte de visites were popular as collectibles and as a way for performers to promote themselves. The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses this small but important example of the genre.