Mlle. Andre, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

Curator: This card, from the series N171 made for Old Judge Cigarettes between 1886 and 1890, depicts Mlle. Andre, identified here as being from Paris. Goodwin & Company produced this. Editor: Well, it's definitely striking! The sepia tones give it an antiquated feel, and the composition...it's a staged studio portrait, I imagine, with Mlle. Andre posing in what I'd guess is a theatrical costume. She looks incredibly rigid. Curator: These cards were distributed with cigarette packs and functioned as collectibles. They catered to popular interests; images of actresses, athletes, and other public figures were a good way to encourage people to buy them. Think about what these cards did and didn’t do - What roles were women playing at the time? And which ones were rewarded by a public platform like this? Editor: From a purely visual perspective, it is interesting how the flatness of the backdrop and soft focus draws the viewer's eye entirely to Mlle. Andre herself. Notice the play of light on her ruffled bloomer shorts and the dainty floral decorations trimming her outfit. It really focuses our gaze. Curator: Absolutely. And consider the context—cigarette cards were small, intimate objects, distributed and collected primarily by men. Mlle. Andre’s pose and costume, while perhaps stage attire, also played into contemporary notions of beauty and desirability, reinforcing certain ideals through mass culture. It’s interesting to think about how such an intimate artwork connects to social norms. Editor: I can see how her raised arm and somewhat defiant gaze contribute to that idea of visual dominance and confidence, although it almost has the opposite effect in seeming stilted. Curator: That’s right - although mass production made these images available, her posture has very intentional, classic undertones that elevated the art. The popularity of figures such as Mlle. Andre provided an escapist fascination from everyday lives. The commodification of women's images highlights the intersection of celebrity culture and advertising strategies of the era. Editor: Well, thinking about how this little photograph existed really changes how I consider it, a nice way to understand all the elements involved in something beyond the composition! Curator: Yes, the interplay between what's shown and how it functions culturally and economically is definitely illuminating.