Miss Pinnetta, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This is Miss Pinnetta, from the Actresses series (N203), a photograph made by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. This small card, likely mass-produced, reveals a fascinating intersection of celebrity, consumerism, and technology. The photograph itself is a product of industrial processes, from the chemical development of the image to the printing of the card. Its original function was as a promotional item included with Kimball & Co. cigarettes, capitalizing on the popularity of actresses like Miss Pinnetta to encourage consumption. The image, sepia-toned, captures the texture of her elaborate costume, highlighting both the skill of its maker and the actress's carefully constructed persona. It's interesting to consider the amount of labor that went into creating both the actress's image and the card itself. The photograph, a relatively new medium at the time, democratized image-making and distribution, but also tied it to the mechanics of capitalist consumption. By considering the materials, processes, and context of this small card, we can see how even seemingly simple objects can reveal complex social and cultural dynamics.