McKee Rankin in Bridegroom's Costume of Saille, France, from the set Actors and Actresses, First Series (N70) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888 - 1889

Editor: So, this is "McKee Rankin in Bridegroom's Costume of Saille, France," a print from 1888-1889 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. The details in the costume are incredible, especially that flamboyant hat, but the overall composition seems a bit…flat. What do you make of it? Curator: Indeed. Notice how the chromatic scale operates within a limited range; this creates a flattened visual field. It draws our attention less to the illusion of depth and more to the surface quality of the print itself. Further, examine the use of line – primarily, the defined outlines separating colors. What effect does this yield, independent of subject? Editor: I see what you mean. It’s less about realism and more about...emphasizing the separate shapes and colours. Like a flattened collage? Curator: Precisely. Observe how that structural feature enhances the stylized presentation. Note also the symbolic charge of the hat – its imposing form a curious signifier when compared to the rest of the portrait. Do you feel that its geometry adds any formal tension or asymmetry to the portrait? Editor: Yes, it's unbalanced. The hat dominates, almost mocking the figure beneath it. It makes me consider the purpose of its geometry with relationship to his head and stature as if to say: Does this subject actually need or even deserve such decoration and regalia? I’m also thinking the bright colors in the piece pop against that off white paper. Curator: Good observation! The interplay of vivid color on that field of paper elevates the object in space. You can see then, through careful study of its formal structures, that this little print conveys far more than a simple likeness. Editor: I see! I hadn't considered how the visual components create such meaning. Thanks! Curator: The pleasure was all mine.