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

Editor: So this is "Mlle LaCarte," from the Actresses series, dating back to 1889. It was produced by Wm. S. Kimball & Co., and is a photograph printed on…well, a cigarette card. What strikes me is how the subject seems to be consciously playing with classical tropes in such an unexpected way. What do you make of this image? Curator: Oh, this little gem! It’s like stumbling upon a whispered secret from the 19th century. The Victorians! So obsessed with propriety and yet, here's Mlle. LaCarte, striking a pose that feels both bold and vulnerable. The setting is almost comically staged, don’t you think? Like a faux Grecian tableau vivant gone slightly off the rails. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it, about the performance of identity, especially for women in that era. Do you feel it pushes any buttons in that regard, today? Editor: Definitely, especially when considering this was essentially cigarette advertising. The contrast between the "high art" reference and its commercial function feels really dissonant. Curator: Precisely! It's a collision of worlds – commerce, entertainment, and art all wrestling for attention. She becomes both a product to be consumed and a performer embodying a classical ideal, though subverted as we discussed. The slight awkwardness is fascinating; perhaps unintentional or perhaps it breaks our fixed way of thinking what “beauty” is meant to represent. There’s an openness there I really enjoy. What did you take away most? Editor: That context really reframes how I see it; not just an old photograph, but a complex little commentary. Curator: Exactly! And hopefully, that shows us to look at any artwork – what initially seems apparent on the surface might only just scratch at the story bubbling underneath.