Miss Patti, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This photograph of Miss Patti was mass-produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a promotional item for Duke Cigarettes. The image is printed on thin card stock, a material perfectly suited for widespread distribution. Notice how the sepia tone gives the image a sense of nostalgic elegance, typical of the era's portrait photography. The printing process itself, likely photogravure, allowed for the creation of thousands of copies with relative ease. This was a key aspect of late 19th-century capitalism, connecting consumer culture with celebrity. The card is a fascinating example of how photography became integrated with industry, turning art into advertising. While “fine art photography” might have been gaining traction at the time, images like this existed purely to boost sales, blurring the lines between art and commerce. Understanding this context is crucial to fully appreciating its cultural significance.