Lawn Tennis Exercise, from the Pretty Athletes series (N196) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

Curator: So, here we have "Lawn Tennis Exercise," a piece hailing from the "Pretty Athletes" series created by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. around 1889. What strikes you when you first look at this? Editor: Well, right off the bat, the playful colours and slightly exaggerated features give it this…almost dreamlike, yet comical feeling. Like a postcard from an alternate Victorian reality where everyone wears shorts to play tennis. Curator: Indeed. The medium itself is quite fascinating—a collage that integrates drawing, specifically colored pencils, photography, and even printmaking elements. It speaks volumes about the artistic and commercial practices of the era. The Pretty Athletes series, presented as collectible cards in cigarette packs, subtly reinforced late 19th-century societal views on ideal femininity and athleticism. Editor: Absolutely. The seemingly innocent image also reveals underlying narratives about gender and class. Look at the outfit: a striped blazer and those green bloomers. It is an effort towards athleticism and leisure being accessible to women, however these clothes simultaneously confine movement and conform to a certain ideal, right? Also, note the light skin—access to outdoor leisure activities at that time was invariably linked to class. Curator: The element of caricature is very apparent too. It dances between admiration and something more…satirical? Is it celebrating the "New Woman," embracing sport, or poking fun at her perceived departure from traditional roles? Editor: Perhaps a little of both? It's this constant negotiation between progress and established norms that I find so compelling. What seems progressive, say allowing women to play tennis, can simultaneously entrench restrictive beauty standards and class divisions. I wonder, did Kimball & Co. really consider these nuances or were they just aiming to sell more cigarettes by depicting a flirty young lady? Curator: That's the beauty of art though, isn't it? It holds all those potential readings, winking at different audiences across different eras. We can look back now and recognize how it's tangled up in a particular moment. Editor: I agree; It's a really interesting snapshot. What appears initially as lighthearted imagery offers surprisingly insightful perspectives on the complexities interwoven within social and cultural shifts, making one reflect about how seemingly innocent representation subtly informs social structures and power dynamics. Curator: Couldn't agree more. It's left me pondering on who exactly the image sought to target at the time of production versus the various layers of interpretation that come with retrospection.