Lady Ida Stilwell, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

Editor: So this is "Lady Ida Stilwell, from the Actresses series" by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, dating from around 1890. It's a print using photography. I find it fascinating that an image like this was used to promote cigarettes! What strikes you about this work? Curator: What I see immediately is the industrialization of image-making. This wasn't art for art's sake. Consider the sheer scale: produced by a tobacco company, distributed with Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. This connects 'high society' with mass-produced, addictive commodities. Think of the workers involved—from the tobacco fields to the printing presses. Editor: I hadn’t considered that at all. It really reframes how I see the portrait. Is it also saying something about celebrity culture? Curator: Absolutely! Lady Ida becomes a commodity herself, her image consumed along with the cigarettes. The 'Actresses' series blurs the line between artistic expression, promotional material, and the labor behind it all. What materials do you notice specifically? Editor: Well, I notice that the photo has faded to sepia tones. That the print itself is pretty basic. Nothing fancy, which speaks to its mass distribution, right? Curator: Exactly. The materials and process reflect the socio-economic conditions of its creation and consumption. The fragility of the print is quite striking. Even a grand dame such as Lady Ida has faded over time, underscoring how things change with evolving manufacturing. Editor: So, this isn't just a portrait; it's a snapshot of industrial capitalism at work, literally inserted into everyday life through cigarette packs. Curator: Precisely! Analyzing the material and its context provides invaluable insights. It challenges us to reconsider what constitutes "art" and its relationship to the broader economic landscape. Editor: Thanks! I’ll definitely think about materials and labour a lot more from now on when looking at artworks.