Fanny Rice, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

Editor: This is "Fanny Rice, from the Actresses series" made by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. in 1889. It’s a printed photograph, and it’s quite striking how the subject is posed. The tilting of the head and dress alludes to some dramatic or perhaps coy expression. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Immediately apparent is the intricate interplay of light and shadow across the composition, a crucial formal element in photography. The delicate modulation from light to dark on Ms. Rice's face models her features to enhance our sense of depth. Note also the formal contrast between the geometric crispness of her bodice versus the soft volume of her petticoats. The artist manipulates these opposing textures to achieve a pleasing tension across the surface plane. What formal quality attracts you the most? Editor: I hadn't considered that contrast between her clothes. The balance feels carefully calculated. Now that I see how textures interplay, it seems the photographic print strives to create a dynamic composition. Curator: Indeed. It also reveals the potential within the photograph itself to be meticulously constructed rather than merely captured. The pose itself, its sinuous quality, hints towards the aestheticism movement's embrace of beauty and artifice. It reminds me, in some ways, of Pre-Raphaelite painting. Do you note similar echoes of the past? Editor: Absolutely! The pose and backdrop bring those to mind, creating an interesting effect. I never would have seen the way it manipulated different textures without your input, either! Curator: By considering line, form, texture and contrast we find avenues of interpreting not only its subject but also its very nature as a work of art.