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

Curator: We're looking at "Mlle. Tennings, Paris," a print produced by Goodwin & Company sometime between 1886 and 1890, part of their "Actors and Actresses" series for Old Judge Cigarettes. Editor: It's remarkably direct, isn't it? The frontal pose, the even lighting—it almost feels like a candid shot, despite being so obviously staged for commercial purposes. Curator: Precisely! The framing of performers like Mlle. Tennings speaks to the era's commodification of celebrity, and also to the complicated, sometimes exploitative dynamics within the entertainment industry and how images were leveraged in product branding. Think about the ways femininity, particularly as presented on stage, becomes linked to consumption. Editor: The materiality of the card itself is striking. That warm sepia tone, the crisp edges against the fading image... there’s a tension between permanence and ephemerality. It captures the zeitgeist through its aesthetic, which feels tied to 19th-century ideals and desires. Curator: We have to consider Tennings as a worker, too. Actresses at this time often faced societal marginalization. Examining her representation requires us to ask how class, gender, and performance intersected and the price the actress herself paid. Editor: Absolutely, it adds layers to this simple piece. Look at how her outfit appears to emulate orientalist costume and how her direct stare might attempt to disarm some viewer presumptions. All the same, in a broader context, she's objectified, packaged, and ultimately, sold as part of the advertisement. Curator: Absolutely. So, in examining what at first seems to be just a straightforward image, we are given multiple points of departure into considering complex issues relating to gender roles, marketing practices and artistic expression, which is quite thought-provoking for something distributed as product packaging. Editor: Yes, by analyzing form, composition and materiality, it helps us understand its cultural values from over a century ago, making it more relevant than simply being another antique photograph.