Annie Boyd, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

Editor: This is "Annie Boyd, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes," created by Goodwin & Company between 1886 and 1890. It's an albumen print. The sepia tone gives it such a dreamy, antiquated feel, doesn't it? What strikes you most about this image? Curator: That's a lovely way to put it! It does feel like peering into a sepia-toned dream. I'm drawn to the blatant objectification. I imagine Annie Boyd's talent got somewhat lost under the haze of cigarette smoke and consumerism. Editor: That's a darker perspective than I initially considered! Do you think she had any agency in how she was portrayed? Curator: Ah, agency... that’s always the million-dollar question, isn't it? Probably as much as a goldfish has in a fishbowl! Seriously, I bet she was flattered by the attention. It could lead to more bookings, though, or maybe a wealthy patron. Do you see how the print is made to look like a drawing? Almost as if to make it 'respectable' rather than real. It's a lovely tension. Editor: Now that you mention it, I see it! The sort of sketched quality is rather elegant. What did these kinds of cards mean for female performers? Curator: Survival, dear heart, probably mostly survival. The theater world wasn’t always kind. Editor: This has really transformed my perspective on what initially appeared like a simple, antique portrait. I am starting to look beyond the surface now. Curator: Wonderful, my work is done! Every layer peeled away reveals more stories. Never forget that.