Kathryn Kidder, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This photographic print of Kathryn Kidder, part of a series for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, captures the actress in a manner that echoes classical portraiture. Her pose, with a slight turn of the head, evokes the Renaissance and Baroque eras, reminiscent of how artists depicted nobility and figures of importance. This harks back to ancient Roman portraiture, which emphasized individual likeness and status. Consider the psychological effect: the subject's gaze, though subtle, engages the viewer directly, inviting a connection that transcends time. The theatricality of the image, likely staged, also resonates with the Baroque sensibility. The use of light and shadow, though limited in this print, suggests a dramatic flair, much like Caravaggio's manipulation of chiaroscuro to create emotionally charged scenes. The reappearance and adaptation of such motifs across centuries demonstrate our collective memory. It shows how deeply ingrained these visual languages are in our subconscious.