Agnes Reily, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

Editor: This is a trade card from 1890 promoting Sweet Caporal Cigarettes by Kinney Brothers, featuring actress Agnes Reily. I'm struck by how confidently she's posed, holding what appears to be a small sword. What do you see in this piece beyond its advertising function? Curator: The interesting tension here arises from juxtaposing commodification with empowerment. The card aims to sell cigarettes by associating them with the allure of celebrity, particularly a female performer. But looking closer, Agnes Reily adopts traditionally masculine attire – a bullfighter’s costume. It's compelling to consider how the visual language plays with and perhaps subverts late 19th-century gender norms. Do you notice any other ways the image complicates conventional representation? Editor: Well, it’s also interesting that she's identified as an actress, which was still quite a transgressive career for women back then, right? So, maybe her adopting a masculine pose in costume empowers her. Curator: Precisely! This “Actresses” series provides us with snapshots of women navigating shifting social landscapes, leveraging their visibility, albeit within a patriarchal system. Consider how the cigarette company profits, but these women also gain a platform. It creates a really intricate dynamic. The gaze and performance intersect, highlighting the complexity of identity. It makes us question who truly benefits from this representation, doesn't it? Editor: Yes, absolutely! I initially saw it as just a vintage advertisement, but it's a lot more nuanced when we start thinking about gender and agency. Curator: Exactly. Seeing it through a contemporary lens illuminates those layers and pushes us to consider the historical weight of these images and the power structures at play. It also forces us to confront how much of that still lingers in contemporary imagery.