Lulu Burdette, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1890 - 1895

Editor: We’re looking at a gelatin-silver print titled "Lulu Burdette," dating from the 1890s. It was produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. What strikes me most is the overall tonal softness, how the creamy whites blend almost seamlessly into the beige background. What do you see in terms of its composition? Curator: The photograph, being a gelatin-silver print, reveals much about the process and materiality itself. The near-monochromatic palette emphasizes the subtle variations in tone. The formal qualities reveal a hierarchy; Lulu’s face draws attention and softly juxtaposes against the lace, and ultimately is harmonized with the background through tone, even as its subject and composition suggest otherwise. How do you respond to that tension? Editor: I find it creates a delicate balance, preventing the image from feeling too static or flat, despite the limited color palette. So, the interplay between the flatness of the print and the illusion of depth, achieved through tonal variations, adds to its visual interest? Curator: Precisely. Note how the textural details of her lace dress and fan are rendered through a network of fine lines and shadows. Observe also the delicate contrast achieved using gelatin on silver; what could you suppose is being represented through the photographic medium itself? Editor: I see. It is not only representing an actress, it's offering a perspective of societal ideas through its construction. It's like the photograph itself performs femininity, almost as Lulu Burdette does as an actress. That adds another layer of meaning that I hadn't considered before. Curator: Indeed, that’s an astute observation. We should continue in order to elaborate these structural relationships between subject, process and form!