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

Editor: So, here we have a gelatin silver print, one of many in a series, created between 1890 and 1895 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. This one's called "Wallie Eddinger, from the Actors and Actresses series," designed to promote Duke Cigarettes. It's a charming, almost dreamlike portrait. What do you make of it? Curator: Dreamlike is the word! It whispers stories, doesn't it? Imagine Wallie himself. That confident stance—arms crossed, direct gaze—but then the flowing hair and those searching eyes hinting at a vulnerability, maybe even a world of imagination. It’s a performance of sorts, on both sides of the camera. Editor: A performance… I like that. So, how does knowing this was essentially an advertisement shift how we perceive it as art, or... not art? Curator: Ah, there's the rub! Does intention dilute artistry? Not for me. Think of Warhol transforming Brillo boxes. The commercial context becomes part of the dialogue. Here, Wallie becomes both individual and a symbol, doesn’t he? A captivating advertisement is, well, still captivating. What do you think about the technical qualities of this photograph? Editor: It has a warmth that you don't usually see in a turn-of-the-century portrait, that sepia tone really gives him this innocent allure. Maybe even sells those cigarettes… Curator: Precisely. It also makes you wonder, doesn’t it, about the thousands of these images scattered, forgotten, or carefully preserved. It adds another layer to this beautiful melancholy we feel as we look at it. Editor: I never thought about where those ads ended up. It's a really interesting detail. Curator: I find it amazing to consider these objects floating throughout history, until now... here. Editor: Definitely gives me something to ponder on. Thanks for your insights!