Portrait, from the Women's Portraits series (N198) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

Curator: Here we have a "Portrait, from the Women's Portraits series (N198)" issued around 1889 by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. It's currently part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. As an engraving, this print gives us a glimpse into late 19th-century ideals of feminine beauty, mass media, and commercial artistry. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: Oh, she's got such a calm vibe. And that hat! It’s like a doily went rogue and started a revolution on her head. In all seriousness, I think this print is interesting given that we’re still defining those feminine ideals even now. Curator: Absolutely. What stands out is the medium—engraving—often associated with mass production at this time. Pieces like this were not created with purely aesthetic considerations. Kimball was, primarily, a tobacco firm. Editor: Ah, right, it was a collectible from cigarette packs! I think that really throws a different light on this— it transforms from just being a portrait into an artifact of everyday consumer culture. Do you think it democratized art in any way, getting these images into the hands of the average person? Curator: That’s a compelling point. It does bypass traditional art institutions, delivering imagery directly into homes. However, it also undeniably intertwines beauty and consumption, influencing notions of taste and desire. In other words, it presents some conflicting factors to be sure. Editor: Yes, I think what I'm taking from this is just how powerful and complex visual culture can be when put in a commercial package. Even a pretty face comes freighted with these implications. Makes me rethink the pretty images all around us these days. Curator: Indeed. This portrait offers us a tangible reminder of the socio-political contexts within which beauty is constantly constructed, circulated, and, inevitably, consumed. It highlights the continuous dialog between commerce and artistry. Editor: Right? Like the conversation never ends! But I appreciate learning about the history behind it and questioning the implications it all has.