Plantation, from National Dances (N225, Type 1) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

Editor: This is "Plantation, from National Dances" created in 1889 by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. It's a print, and it's housed at the Met. The figure's dynamic pose and striped clothing immediately grab my attention. It looks almost like she's dancing off the card! What elements do you focus on when you look at this print? Curator: Primarily, I consider the compositional structure and the use of colour to understand the artwork's intrinsic qualities. The artist presents a profile view, limiting depth, yet achieves dynamism through diagonal lines formed by the figure's posture and the folds in the skirt. The contrast between the tightly fitted bodice with vertical lines and the flowing skirt with horizontal emphasis is interesting. What about the colour palette strikes you? Editor: I find the warm tones of the bodice clashing a bit with the cooler blues of the skirt. It feels a bit unbalanced, perhaps intentionally so. Curator: Precisely. The artist seems to disrupt conventional harmony. This dissonance, along with the flat perspective, suggests a commentary on established aesthetic norms. The choice of a mundane subject executed with this level of stylistic experimentation hints at a questioning of representational art itself. What implications do you see there? Editor: I hadn't considered that it could be pushing back against those norms! I was so caught up in my initial impression. It definitely provides another layer to this piece. Curator: Exactly. Considering formal elements allows us to uncover those underlying critical gestures. Seeing this piece with fresh eyes has given me more insights too. Thank you!