Monterey, California, from the Surf Beauties series (N232), issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

Editor: Here we have "Monterey, California, from the Surf Beauties series," created around 1889 by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. It's a color print that feels like a dreamy, idealized photograph. The pose of the woman and the composition make me wonder what kind of stories it was trying to tell. What strikes you most when you look at this piece? Curator: What I see foremost is a highly calculated arrangement. Note how the sharp diagonals of the rock formation and the woman's body, clad in a boldly striped bathing suit, are softened by the curves of her pose and the draped cloth. This juxtaposition creates a dynamic tension, arresting the viewer's gaze. The limited color palette, primarily composed of earthy tones and muted blues, serves to unify the composition and emphasizes the interplay of light and shadow. The surface, upon close inspection, shows distinct hatching, revealing its construction. What function does this linear element serve? Editor: That’s a great observation about the hatching! I see that it sort of flattens the image, almost like we're looking at a colored drawing. I also wonder about the scale and relative space she is positioned within, giving the portrait an intimate viewing space, almost as if you are supposed to know the woman. Curator: Precisely. Consider how the formal elements—line, color, composition—create a work operating on several layers of construction. It achieves flatness in form but it is, through a formal and artful rendering, more complex than a first reading would betray. Do you think this contributes to its aesthetic appeal? Editor: I think so! I was caught up in the immediate impression but missed how the print technique is fundamental to how we experience the art, giving more insight and connection through consideration. Curator: Exactly. By analyzing its formal properties, we appreciate this artwork not just for its subject, but also for the artistry inherent in its making and its composition. It makes you curious about how that would lead into a future form such as cinema, with highly calculated constructions. Editor: Thanks so much, this has totally transformed how I see it! I have much more respect and curiosity towards its artistic skill now that I can focus on how the materials interact.