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

Editor: So this is Marie Jansen, from the Actresses series, dating between 1888 and 1892. It was made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, part of their marketing for Sporting Extra Cigarettes. I'm struck by how delicate and refined it is for what’s essentially a promotional image. What visual elements stand out to you? Curator: The most striking feature to me is the profile view itself. Why did they choose it? It hints at the actress's public persona versus her private self, almost a controlled reveal. Note also the use of sepia tone. What feelings does that evoke for you? Editor: Nostalgia, certainly, but also a sense of faded glory, like looking at a cherished heirloom from a bygone era. Curator: Precisely! Consider, too, that in a society where appearances were carefully constructed, the actress's elaborate hairstyle, and dress details became signifiers of status and aspiration, deliberately presented to appeal to a mass audience consuming imagery and tobacco simultaneously. Kinney Brothers banked on her iconic stature selling their cigarettes. Is she "selling" something else? Editor: Well, happiness, maybe? I hadn't thought of that. This tiny portrait acts like a hall of mirrors, reflecting desires back at its audience. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure! Seeing how imagery serves commercial interests alongside psychological and social currents opens exciting avenues of thought, doesn't it?