Photochrome engraving company 1895

Louis Rhead created this advertisement poster for the Photochrome Engraving Company at the turn of the century. This chromolithograph exemplifies the commercial art of the fin-de-siècle period, while also engaging in the popular idealization of women. Rhead presents a woman in a moment of creative labor, her tools laid out before her, and this representation challenges the traditional gendered division of labor prevalent at the time. Yet she is also depicted as an ethereal, auburn-haired beauty, adorned with flowing garments, which serves to emphasize her aesthetic appeal. This dual portrayal reflects the era's complex negotiation of women's roles, where they were simultaneously entering the workforce and expected to embody ideals of beauty and grace. The poster's emotional resonance lies in its ability to capture both the aspirations and the constraints placed upon women artists.