Actress wearing bodice with blue bow on shoulder, from Stars of the Stage, Fourth Series (N132) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1892 - 1893

Editor: This is "Actress wearing bodice with blue bow on shoulder," a print made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. sometime between 1892 and 1893, part of the "Stars of the Stage" series, created to advertise Honest Long Cut Tobacco. She's got such a soft, almost ethereal quality... What can you tell me about how it fits into its time period? Curator: What strikes me most is how this seemingly innocent image is steeped in the commodification of both femininity and celebrity culture. The actress is rendered into a marketable image, her identity flattened for the consumption of tobacco buyers. How do we reconcile the aesthetics of the image with its capitalist purpose? Editor: So, it’s not just a pretty portrait; it's about how industries exploit people? Curator: Precisely. And notice the Japonisme influence in the flattened perspective and decorative patterning. It reveals how Western art absorbed and appropriated non-Western aesthetics to further its own commercial goals. How does this cultural borrowing impact our understanding of authenticity and artistic value? Editor: So, it's like layers of exploitation and appropriation stacked together. The woman's image, and Japanese style both being used? Curator: Yes, this conflation speaks volumes. The actress's identity and an entire artistic tradition become mere selling points. Considering this context, does it change how you view her gaze, or the bow on her shoulder? Editor: I do see it differently now. Knowing how much went into packaging this image just to sell tobacco… it feels kind of sinister. Curator: It invites a critical gaze on the systems of power at play – the patriarchy, capitalism, cultural imperialism. Analyzing historical artifacts like this allows us to better understand similar dynamics still happening today. Editor: Absolutely. I never considered that a tobacco card could be so complex! Thanks for opening my eyes to this. Curator: And thank you for bringing a fresh perspective to this piece. It's in questioning and dialogue that we find the richest layers of meaning.