Tearle Dressed as Scotch Chief of the 18th Century, from the set Actors and Actresses, First Series (N70) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888 - 1889

This small chromolithograph of ‘Tearle Dressed as Scotch Chief of the 18th Century’ was produced around 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as part of a series of promotional cards for Duke brand cigarettes. These cards offer a glimpse into the racial and cultural dynamics of the late 19th century. The depiction of Tearle, an actor, in Scottish Highland dress speaks to the romanticization and commodification of ethnic identities. It reflects a broader cultural fascination with Scottish heritage, one that often sidelined the actual history of Scotland. Consider the politics embedded in such portrayals: What does it mean to perform an identity? Who gets to define what that identity looks like, and for what purposes? Here, the actor becomes a stand-in for an entire cultural history, flattened and packaged for mass consumption. The card becomes a vehicle for perpetuating certain stereotypes while selling cigarettes. Think about how images like this contribute to our understanding and misunderstanding of cultural identity, then and now.