[Seated actress wearing dress with ruffled sleeves], from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1890 - 1895

Editor: This photographic print, created sometime between 1890 and 1895 by W. Duke, Sons & Co., features a seated actress. The sepia tone and soft focus create a wistful, almost ethereal quality. What strikes me most is her gaze – it's directed upwards, carrying a sense of hope, or perhaps longing. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Her upward gaze is key. It’s not simply a direction; it's an invocation, connecting her to something beyond the immediate. The actress, presented as an aspirational figure, transcends the domestic space; what is being captured here is her projection of a life off stage. The ruffles of her dress and sleeves could suggest layers of emotions – the way her performance interacts with her inner self. Does the ornament suggest she is imprisoned within the roles, within societal expectations? Or is there strength being projected through those embellishments? Editor: That’s fascinating. I hadn’t considered the dress as a kind of boundary or a reflection of inner turmoil. I was more drawn to its decorative quality, the idea of performance itself. Curator: It's both, isn't it? The Duke firm intended these images to associate the actresses' qualities with their cigarettes, a connection to wealth, to success, and to aspiration. The visual language presents both an art object but one intended as persuasive artifact. The averted look references both earthly aspiration, the long view but also perhaps a sense of weariness. What does it tell us about attitudes of celebrity at this time? Editor: So, it's not just a portrait, but a carefully constructed advertisement that tells us about the anxieties and ideals of that era. Curator: Precisely! It reveals cultural memories of the stage, connecting them to dreams of fame, fortune and a carefully calibrated ideal of feminine allure. Editor: I am definitely leaving with a richer understanding now. Thank you!