Plate 1, from the Fans of the Period series (N7) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1889

Editor: Here we have Plate 1 from the Fans of the Period series by Allen & Ginter, dated 1889. It seems to be a color print of a woman in profile. The fan and her large feathered headdress strike me, but the overall effect is rather… stiff, don't you think? How do you interpret this work? Curator: Absolutely, I agree about the stiff quality of the representation. Think about it – this was printed as a collectible insert in cigarette packs. But consider it in its social context. It's a product of the late 19th century, deeply embedded in the visual language of Japonisme and the growing commodification of culture. Editor: Japonisme, that's the influence of Japanese art, right? How does that play into this? Curator: Precisely! Note the flattened perspective, the emphasis on decorative pattern in the woman’s dress. It mimics ukiyo-e prints but it is also a symbol of elite Western women's cultural appropriation. This was a period of intense orientalism. How does that complicate our reading of this supposedly beautiful woman? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way! It's almost as if she's a prop herself, packaged along with the cigarettes. Curator: Exactly! This image isn’t just an innocent depiction; it reflects the complex power dynamics of its time, with a gendered elite taking influence and enjoying luxury due to oppressive circumstances in our own country. How do we confront that reality while examining its influence on women in Japanese art? Editor: Wow, I see so much more here now than just a pretty picture. Thinking about those dynamics really shifts my understanding. Thanks for illuminating that. Curator: My pleasure! Art holds a mirror to society, however distorted that image may appear. Looking closely always pays dividends.