Grace Stewart, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: Here we have "Grace Stewart, from the Actors and Actresses series" by Allen & Ginter, dating from 1885-1891. It's a print from a photograph, originally part of a cigarette card series. The image feels quite intimate. What strikes you most about this portrait? Curator: What I see here is a fascinating interplay between celebrity, commercialism, and the evolving role of women in the late 19th century. Stewart, a performer, is commodified through the cigarette card, and her image becomes a tool for selling a product. How do you think her representation here challenges or reinforces prevailing social norms of the time? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn't considered the commercial aspect so deeply. She looks quite independent, but is that just a surface reading, given the context of advertising? Curator: Exactly! This gets us to considering how women's identities were being packaged and sold, and the extent to which agency was possible within those confines. Were these images empowering or exploitative? This photo also contributes to the "new woman" idea. Notice anything particular about the clothing and styling that could represent changing norms for women at this time? Editor: I suppose her casual, almost dishevelled, hair contrasts with the formal studio portraiture we often associate with the Victorian era. I see also a type of scarf with bold lines. Curator: Precisely. Now think about the male gaze and who the intended audience for this image was: What assumptions were the creators making about their desires? Editor: It is true that she’s both accessible, and sort of enigmatic. Almost an advertisement for femininity, even without the cigarettes. This has given me a whole new appreciation for it. Curator: And hopefully, insight into the complex intersection of performance, gender, and consumer culture.