Miss Duremay, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

Editor: This is "Miss Duremay" from the Actresses series, a print from 1889 by William S. Kimball & Co., currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's a cigarette card! The sepia tone and her formal pose give it such a sense of a bygone era, like stepping into a vintage photograph album. What are your thoughts when you see this, from your expert eye? Curator: Well, you're right, there's something beautifully antiquated about her, isn't there? Like a whisper of perfumed theatre air from a hundred years ago. Look closer – it’s more than just a portrait; it's a performance *of* a portrait. Consider the context: tobacco cards, miniature artworks intended to entice…it’s all so fascinating! Did you happen to notice the Ukiyo-e influence on the image? The firm's awareness that Ukiyo-e has had a profound impact on artists and art aesthetics. Editor: I hadn't actually noticed that. Now that you mention it, the delicate lines and almost flattened perspective… Is it meant to exoticize her, perhaps? Curator: Perhaps. And here’s where the real fun begins. Think of it as a kind of paper time capsule, filled with aspirations, fantasies, and the somewhat bizarre marketing strategies of the late 19th century! What do *you* take away from this experience? Editor: That there's always more than meets the eye, even in something as simple as a cigarette card. It's really interesting to understand how this blends high art with the everyday. Curator: Exactly! It’s the hidden stories that make art so compelling, isn't it? This work serves as a reminder to seek hidden treasures!