Mattie Rogers, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

Curator: This fascinating albumen silver print dates back to the 1880s. It is a portrait from the "Actors and Actresses" series, created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes. The image captures Mattie Rogers, an actress of the time, in elaborate attire. Editor: My immediate reaction is one of curiosity. Mattie is adorned in what appears to be a military-inspired outfit, though something feels playful rather than strictly regimented about it. The scale is also quite striking, the print’s small format seems to give the actress an unusual sense of power. Curator: Exactly, and this print serves as an interesting example of how celebrity culture and advertising intertwined in the late 19th century. Consider how tobacco companies deployed popular figures, in this case a performer, to enhance their product’s appeal. The image circulated widely. Editor: It's compelling how the visual language is constructed. Her pose, her clothing, her hat: they all seem to embody notions of authority and artistry simultaneously. There is a performative ambiguity present. Was Rogers complicit in this, or simply a pawn? This form of advertisement created a complicated relationship with its audience and the personalities it presented. Curator: Certainly, the photograph operates within a network of power dynamics. Rogers's portrayal also reflects societal attitudes towards women in the entertainment industry during that period, in regards to agency, control and ultimately consumption. It's important to consider her position as a working actress versus the construction of this image within commercial contexts. Editor: When we juxtapose the reality of working class actresses in the late 19th Century with the glamour these prints implied, what kind of commentary can we construct? What narrative did these images want us to believe? And how was that divorced from Rogers' reality? The "truth" within photography remains such a fascinating concept! Curator: I find myself pondering how our understanding of the intersection of performance, identity, and commerce is still evolving in the face of these historic documents. Editor: I agree. Thinking about the lasting impact of this work reminds me that even these commercial images become cultural documents, sparking conversations across time.