[Actress posing on chair], from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1890 - 1895

This sepia-toned photograph of an actress posing on a chair was produced around the turn of the century by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as part of a series to promote Duke Cigarettes. These cards existed within a broader culture of collecting and commodifying images of women, particularly actresses, whose likenesses were used to sell everything from tobacco to beauty products. Consider the power dynamics at play: the male gaze, the objectification of women, and the use of their images for commercial gain. The actress's carefully constructed pose, her ornate dress, and her dreamy expression all contribute to a manufactured ideal of feminine beauty. But what about her own desires, ambitions, and sense of self? Where is her voice in this image? This photograph invites us to reflect on the historical and ongoing struggles of women to gain agency over their own representation. While seemingly a harmless advertisement, it encapsulates the complex interplay of gender, commerce, and the construction of identity in the late 19th century.