Mlle. Renain, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

Curator: Here we have a portrait card, part of a series created by Goodwin & Company between 1886 and 1890, designed to be included in packs of Old Judge Cigarettes. The sitter is Mademoiselle Renain, an actress based in Paris. Editor: She has an intriguing sense of style; all elaborate adornment, sheathed in some kind of heavily patterned robe with luxuriant fur. And the whole image is cast in muted, sepia tones, which only reinforces the subject’s presence in this unusual composition. Curator: Observe how the artist captures the fine detailing of the garments – the subtle interplay between light and shadow, creating texture and form in what seems to be an instance of carefully balanced tonal gradations. And how would you interpret this fur accessory in a broader context? Editor: The fur piece could be viewed as a symbol of status and sophistication. Fur has historically denoted affluence and social position. It seems designed to elevate her, conferring nobility via this status laden symbol. Curator: Indeed, this sartorial signaling cannot be divorced from the visual rhetoric employed, further reinforcing prevailing notions of celebrity at that historical moment. Notice, too, the careful modulation of the values which creates an enveloping ambience, setting the subject adrift from fixed points. Editor: I read an implicit confidence into this subject and the pose that she has assumed here, which only goes further in confirming prevailing norms. The whole work has the air of someone comfortable in the social identity projected here – someone, indeed, that the brand itself sought to align with. Curator: Your commentary on celebrity and pose directs us toward an understanding of both the artwork itself and of cultural priorities operating at that point in time. Her persona is a key structural element of the image, providing an instance of an important cultural signifier at the fin de siecle moment. Editor: Delving into the symbolism gives a lens into a world where imagery mediated fame, aspiration and belonging. Fascinating how much is compressed into one small token like this, wouldn’t you agree?