Actress wearing pink costume with brass horn on hip, from Stars of the Stage, Second Series (N130) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1891

Editor: So this is "Actress wearing pink costume with brass horn on hip," a print from 1891, made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. What I find striking is the blatant display of idealized femininity, meant to sell tobacco, of all things. How do you interpret the purpose and implications behind a piece like this? Curator: I see a powerful commentary on the commodification of women and the objectification inherent in early advertising. Think about the Gilded Age, industrialization, and the rise of consumer culture. This image, produced to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco, reduces a performer to a visual spectacle, a fantasy meant to entice male consumers. How does the presence of the brass horn on her hip strike you? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way, honestly. It's clearly fetishized but now, considering its place in selling tobacco, it seems particularly demeaning and manipulative. Does the artistic style— that touch of Japonisme—contribute to this message? Curator: Absolutely. The influence of Japonisme, with its flattened perspective and focus on decorative elements, further exoticizes the actress, rendering her as an object of consumption, visually appealing and easily digestible. Consider her posture, the gaze directed at the viewer… how does that contribute to the dynamic? Editor: I guess her almost defiant look breaks the illusion. She almost seems complicit in the exploitation. So is the point that seemingly innocuous advertising can normalize harmful views of gender and identity? Curator: Precisely. By unpacking these historical images, we can better understand the lasting effects of these power dynamics and recognize the subtle ways in which similar messaging persists today. It's not just about the pretty picture; it’s about critically examining the systems that create and perpetuate these representations. Editor: Thank you! I feel like I’ve gained a deeper insight into the intersection of art, advertising, and the construction of gender roles. Curator: And I’ve learned how fresh eyes can offer a completely new perspective on a subject I'm intimately familiar with.