Card Number 360, Carrie Perkins, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-5) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

This is Card Number 360, Carrie Perkins, from the Actors and Actresses series, a promotional lithograph issued around 1900 by Duke Sons & Co. to advertise Cameo Cigarettes. The sepia tones give the image a nostalgic, almost dreamlike quality, while the subject, Carrie Perkins, occupies the majority of the frame, drawing the eye immediately to her pose. Her attire, adorned with frills and a tasseled jacket, reflects a theatrical flamboyance. Consider the visual hierarchy: Perkins is centered, yet the gaze drifts downwards, drawn by the textual advertisement. This juxtaposition of the human form with commercial text creates a dialogue on representation and consumption. The card is not merely a portrait but an artifact embedded with cultural codes. It invites a conversation about performance, commerce, and the evolving representation of women in the public sphere. Remember, meaning in art is not fixed; it evolves with each viewer.