Portrait of woman, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 2) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

Curator: From the Metropolitan Museum of Art, we're looking at "Portrait of woman, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 2) issued by Kinney Bros." produced circa 1889. It's a lovely example of late 19th-century portraiture, using both drawing and print techniques. Editor: Oh, she looks like she's dreaming of a better life, right? So poised, but there's this sadness, almost yearning, in her eyes. It feels… intimate. Curator: These small portraits were actually trade cards, promotional items included in packages of Kinney Brothers tobacco products. The Novelties series featured idealized depictions of women. In light of current marketing approaches, one could say its appeal was problematic from its very inception! Editor: Tobacco… huh. Suddenly, her wistful look makes a little more sense. Makes you wonder if she knew she was selling poison! Anyway, technically speaking, I like how delicate the coloring is; that rose blush and her blonde-y hair… but, it almost feels generic, you know? Curator: These were mass-produced images designed to appeal to a broad consumer base, the image reinforces standards of feminine beauty circulating at that time. Her yellow dress, set within a distinctively vibrant red circular border, provides a glimpse into fashion norms that catered to particular constructs of white middle-class identity. Editor: "Constructs"—I always feel the 1890s get such a bad rap as boring, you know, stiff people in dull clothes. But the person who rendered her image has real skill and I feel this piece makes that point more explicitly. Curator: Right, because in looking at historical portrayals we begin to challenge the notion that identities have not always been shaped and defined. Editor: This little portrait… it is a gem. There’s a certain fragility about her too. It's amazing how something so small, from so long ago, can make you pause and ponder a woman's world then and there. Curator: Indeed. These material remnants act as potent visual triggers into gendered class conditions which remain resonant with present social arrangements.