Card Number 180, Irene Varona, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-5) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

"Card Number 180, Irene Varona," was created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a promotional item for Cameo Cigarettes in the late 19th or early 20th century. These cards, featuring actresses and performers, were a common marketing tactic. They offer a glimpse into the era's attitudes toward women in the public eye. Varona's attire, which might strike us as risqué today, was part of the theatrical representation of women. These cards can be understood as normalizing a commodified version of female sexuality for a mass audience. They also bring up questions about labor and the economics of performance. What were Varona's working conditions? What were the racial dynamics of the theater at the time? These images were certainly meant to entice, but they also serve as a historical record of a time when the lines between entertainment, commerce, and the female body were actively being negotiated.