M'lle Marriott, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

Editor: Here we have M'lle Marriott, a print drawing from 1890 by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, part of their "Actresses" series. It has a wistful feel. What can you tell me about this portrait? Curator: This image is so interesting when viewed through the lens of cultural history. We must ask ourselves about the power dynamics at play. Kinney Brothers used images of actresses to sell cigarettes, effectively commodifying female beauty and talent. The gaze directed at M'lle Marriott, both then and now, is one we should deconstruct. Who was she beyond this carefully constructed image for mass consumption? What did it mean to be a woman whose likeness was used in such a way? Editor: So, you’re saying that the seemingly harmless image actually has deeper implications regarding the role of women in society? Curator: Precisely! Consider the intended audience: predominantly men. The image subtly reinforces patriarchal structures, linking female allure with a consumable product. The pearl choker, the soft lighting—these elements are carefully curated to appeal to a certain ideal of femininity that was prevalent at the time. How do we, as contemporary viewers, resist perpetuating that objectification? How can we see beyond the surface to recognize M'lle Marriott's agency, if any, within this context? Editor: I hadn't considered the layers of meaning beneath the surface of this simple portrait. Curator: These images are more than pretty pictures; they’re historical documents reflecting and shaping societal attitudes towards women. Understanding this commercial and societal framework offers invaluable insight into intersectional perspectives around the social history of art. Editor: I see now! Thanks to your activist reading, I now understand it with a new critical eye.