Pauline Hall, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This is Pauline Hall, from the Actresses series, a printed sheet created by William S. Kimball & Company. The composition divides the figure from its landscape backdrop, creating a structured dialogue between performance and setting. Notice how her poised stance and elaborate costume contrast with the fluid, almost indistinct rendering of the background. This tension highlights a play between artifice and reality. The sepia tone flattens the image, emphasizing the two-dimensionality of the print. The actress's gaze, directed slightly off-center, suggests a world beyond the frame, destabilizing the boundary between the viewer and the viewed. This tension invites us to question how representation shapes our understanding of identity. Consider how the strategic use of limited color and defined form transforms a simple portrait into a complex exploration of image-making itself. The print challenges our perceptions, reminding us that every representation is both a construction and an interpretation.