Marie Shaw, from the Actresses series (N246), Type 2, issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes 1888 - 1892

This photograph of Marie Shaw, an actress, was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as a promotional item. Marie's gaze is direct, yet there's a soft, ethereal quality to the image. The image reminds me of the ‘Nineteenth-Century Woman’. Her elaborate clothing, though not overtly opulent, speaks of her social position. The subtle ornamentation and soft fabrics contrast with the rigid societal expectations placed upon women of the time. It's interesting how the same decorative elements, a symbol of status and femininity, are found repeatedly in other artworks depicting women. The image appears to be in the likeness of a classical portrait, with the theatrical setting serving as a modern echo of ancient stages. Notice how the soft focus and delicate coloring evoke a dreamlike state, almost as if she's emerging from a collective memory, reminding us of the non-linear progression of symbols, resurfacing and evolving.