Hattie Dolaro, from the Actresses series (N246), Type 2, issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes 1888 - 1892

This photographic print of Hattie Dolaro comes from a series made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in the late 19th century to promote their Sporting Extra Cigarettes. These small cards were inserted into cigarette packs, part of a wider marketing strategy that commodified images of actresses and other celebrities. This was a time of rapid industrialization and urbanization in the United States, and the rise of mass media and consumer culture. Actresses like Hattie Dolaro became recognizable figures through the circulation of these images. Note how her gaze and pose are carefully constructed for the male consumer. The Kinney Brothers were part of a burgeoning tobacco industry that was deeply intertwined with slavery and the exploitation of labor. The images they produced reflect the social values and power structures of the time. To understand this image, we must consider the social conditions and economic forces that shaped its production and consumption. Museum archives and company records can help us understand the relationship between art, commerce, and society.