Coralie, from the Actresses series (T123, Type 1), issued by Neil McCoull Co. 1888 - 1915

This photograph of an actress named Coralie was produced by Neil McCoull Co. as part of a series of publicity images. It is printed on a small card, a format that reflects the rise of mass media in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The photographic process itself deserves our attention. Light-sensitive chemicals, mass-produced, captured Coralie's image with remarkable clarity. Consider the labor involved: from the factory workers producing the materials, to the photographer staging the shot, to the printers churning out countless copies. The image, sepia-toned, carries a certain nostalgic weight. It reminds us that even the most ephemeral images are embedded in complex systems of production and consumption. This challenges the traditional idea of the artwork as unique and precious. Here, the photograph is part of a wider system of commodity exchange. Ultimately, Coralie’s portrait invites us to think critically about the relationship between art, labor, and the rise of consumer culture.