Portret van Jeanne Granier als Giroflé in Giroflé-Girofla before 1875

Curator: Here, we see a print titled "Portret van Jeanne Granier als Giroflé in Giroflé-Girofla," created before 1875 by Gaston et Mathieu. What strikes you about its appearance? Editor: The layout is fascinating. It’s like two separate worlds on each page spread of this theater magazine: on the left page there are advertisements, while the right page has the portrait in a decorative frame. What was the purpose of pairing advertisements with portraits like this? Curator: I wonder what the implications were of literally placing advertisements next to the performance itself? This work, created using a printing press, reminds us that the image's value is constructed as much by the process of its production as by the sitter's persona. Think about the labor involved, from the paper production to the typesetting. Who benefits from this image’s construction and dissemination, and how? Editor: So, you're saying that by considering the advertisements next to the image, we're seeing a reflection of 19th century consumption? Curator: Exactly. We can consider who these ads are targeting and what social needs they might be creating. Were these types of publications meant for certain classes, and if so, what type of labor went into creating and consuming it? Editor: So much information to unpack, considering it just appears to be an image of an actress on paper. I’m rethinking how commercial forces and material processes shaped this "art". Curator: It shows how closely intertwined the seemingly disparate worlds of artistic creation and capitalist production truly were.