Frankie Raymond, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1890 - 1895

Editor: Here we have an albumen print, part of the "Actors and Actresses" series created between 1890 and 1895 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. The image depicts Frankie Raymond in what seems to be a theatrical pose. The whole thing feels… staged, and very much of its time. What's your take on it? Curator: From a materialist perspective, this print is less about high art and more about commodity culture. Duke Cigarettes used these cards as promotional material. The albumen print, a relatively inexpensive photographic process, became a tool for mass dissemination. We must consider the means of production. Editor: So you’re saying its artistic merit is almost secondary to its function as advertising? Curator: Precisely. Think about the labor involved in creating thousands of these prints. Consider the cotton cultivation for the paper, the chemicals for the photographic process. What were the working conditions like for the people who produced these cards? This seemingly innocent portrait exists within a network of exploitation and mass consumption. Editor: That reframes how I see it. I was initially focused on the subject and her theatrical pose, but now I’m thinking about the entire system that made this card possible. It's a portrait of capitalism as much as it is of an actress. Curator: Exactly. The "Actors and Actresses" series blurs the lines between art, celebrity culture, and commerce. Frankie Raymond is being consumed here, as a representative of the entertainment industry, and also as part of Duke Cigarettes' marketing strategy. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It's easy to get lost in the image itself, but focusing on the material reality gives it a whole new meaning. I’ll definitely be looking at art differently now! Curator: Glad to hear it. The material speaks if you listen to its story!