Modjeska in French Peasant Bridal Costume of Kerfeunteun, from the set Actors and Actresses, First Series (N70) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888 - 1889

Editor: Here we have "Modjeska in French Peasant Bridal Costume of Kerfeunteun," dating from 1888 to 1889. It’s a print created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. currently held at the Met. I’m really drawn to how quaint the style feels—kind of naive in a way. What do you see in this portrait? Curator: It's more than quaint, isn’t it? It has the blush of nostalgia, like a memory seen through lace. Notice the precision of the lines, and the considered placement within that small frame, like a jewel. Though labeled a "French Peasant Bridal Costume," this belongs to a set of actors and actresses—performers borrowing identity, just like the cigarette company borrowed Japonisme aesthetics. The costume is less ethnographic record, more… theatrical prop. Doesn't that shift things a bit? Editor: Absolutely. Knowing it’s part of a series for cigarettes definitely cheapens the costume itself and transforms it into a type of exoticism. Curator: Precisely! It prompts a series of reflections about identity. Was Modjeska actually Polish? And how 'real' is the cultural representation on display here? How do the coloured pencils add a touch of vibrancy which feels slightly exaggerated, like stage makeup? Editor: Now that you mention it, it really does seem more caricature than portrait. What do you make of that heavy headdress? Curator: The headdress—its deliberate height—amplifies this artificiality. I suppose I see a complex interweaving of persona, commodity, and artistic license… almost as if it were winking. And you? Editor: I didn’t see that wink before, but it’s definitely there. Thanks! Curator: The pleasure was mine. There is more than meets the eye.