Florence Girard, from the Actresses series (N246), Type 1, issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes 1888 - 1892

This photograph of Florence Girard was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, as part of a series of actress portraits used to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes. These cards, made of paper stock with a thin photographic emulsion, were printed in vast quantities as promotional items. Mass production, through printing and photographic reproduction, mirrors the industrial system that tobacco cultivation was a part of, relying on a vast system of labour. The image shows the actress in a soft focus, achieved through the photographic processes of the time. The card would have been collected, traded and used for a variety of purposes, detached from its original function as a marketing tool. In this way, we can appreciate how this ‘low’ form of commercial design enters the realm of art, blurring the lines between consumer culture and artistic expression. The presence of this card in a museum collection elevates its status, inviting us to reflect on the relationship between art, commerce, and cultural value.