Mlle. Rosine Block, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

Editor: This is quite an unusual find. It's a piece from the Actors and Actresses series, Mlle. Rosine Block, Paris, dating from somewhere between 1886 and 1890. What grabs me is the fact that it was originally created as a promotional insert for Old Judge Cigarettes. I can't help wondering about the kind of fame Mlle. Block enjoyed back then. What do you see in this piece, looking beyond its commercial roots? Curator: Beyond the cigarette fumes of yesteryear? Hehe... well, you've stumbled onto something delightful here. This seemingly simple portrait is, to me, a little window into a vanished world. We have a studio portrait mimicking a painting… almost like theater itself, right? Notice the carefully draped fabric, the almost-classical pose, a hint of ancient Egypt in the faux pillars? It suggests someone aware of her public image, perhaps crafting a mystique for the stage. Tell me, what does her expression convey to you? Editor: Hmm, she does appear somewhat aloof and self-possessed. I wouldn’t want to misinterpret, though… Perhaps she’s playing a part even in her portrait. Curator: Precisely! And it makes one wonder… Was she like this off-stage? Is this a clever advertisement subtly winking at us, playing with the notions of celebrity, artifice, and…dare I say it, desire? I bet those Old Judge cigarettes tasted like adventure after glimpsing this! Editor: It's amazing to think that such a seemingly simple image could contain so much complexity! Thinking about the context transforms the way I see it. Curator: Indeed! Context, my dear student, is everything. It's the secret spice that makes the artistic stew so delicious! And the ephemeral nature, as a cigarette card makes the aftertaste even more intriguing.