Mlle. Rinaldi, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

This is a small photographic print produced by Goodwin & Company as part of their Actors and Actresses series. The sepia tones create a soft, almost dreamlike quality, yet the composition is carefully structured. Mlle. Rinaldi is positioned off-center, creating a visual tension. Her elegant pose, with a slight contrapposto, is enhanced by the draped fabric that adds layers and texture. The background is vaguely suggestive of an outdoor setting but is essentially a constructed space, typical of studio portraiture of the time. The photograph plays with the semiotics of celebrity and commerce. The name of the cigarette brand boldly shares space with the actress, blurring the lines between art, advertising, and identity. Rinaldi's representation here is not just a portrait but also a signifier, commodified for consumption. This collapsing of boundaries invites us to question fixed categories of value and meaning. The print serves as an early example of how visual culture can challenge established norms.