Eva Shaler, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 6) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This albumen silver print features Eva Shaler from the Actors and Actresses series, created for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The sepia tone and small scale contribute to a sense of intimacy, drawing us into the sitter's space. The composition is structured by a contrast between the soft focus and the sharp lines defining Shaler's features. Her gaze, slightly off-center, engages the viewer directly, challenging the formality typical of portraiture in the late 19th century. The dark hat, adorned with feathers, creates a dramatic frame around her face. Consider the semiotic interplay here: Shaler, the actress, is both a subject and an object, a performer and a commodity, framed to enhance the appeal of the cigarettes she advertises. The image plays with codes of celebrity and consumption. It invites us to ponder how identities were constructed and circulated in a rapidly industrializing world.