Selina Fetter in Russian Costume of a Lady of Oustiong-Jebzepolski, from the set Actors and Actresses, First Series (N70) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888 - 1889

Editor: Here we have Selina Fetter in Russian Costume, dating from around 1888-1889. It’s a print, part of a series made for Duke brand cigarettes. The headdress is quite striking. What do you see in this piece, considering its history as a commercial item? Curator: The image ripples with layers of meaning, doesn't it? These were simpler times, or so it would seem, but the cultural exchange happening here is remarkable. Consider the iconography of the headdress itself, the kokoshnik. It is far more than decorative; for centuries it symbolized marriage and Russian identity, visually anchoring the wearer to both family and nation. This instantly transports the viewer into another culture, another way of being, albeit one commodified for consumption. Do you see the dissonance there? Editor: I do! So, it's taking something deeply symbolic and, almost, watering it down by putting it on a cigarette card? Curator: Precisely. It's a potent image precisely *because* of the symbolic power it carries. But look closer. What does the setting – the context of this commercial product – suggest about how the late 19th-century audience viewed foreign cultures? This card offered a glimpse into the "exotic," framing Russian identity in a way that both attracted and, perhaps subtly, othered it. What stories do you think it was telling about Russia, consciously or not? Editor: It’s almost like a performance of identity, reduced to a consumable image. Curator: Indeed! The visual echoes linger through time, speaking volumes about cultural appropriation, exoticism, and the power of imagery in shaping our understanding of the world. Editor: I hadn't considered the layers of cultural messaging embedded in such a small, seemingly simple piece. Thanks for untangling all of this!