Card Number 235, Adelaide Emerson, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

Curator: Here we have "Card Number 235, Adelaide Emerson, from the Actors and Actresses series," a promotional piece issued in the 1880s by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to advertise Duke Cigarettes. Editor: What strikes me immediately is this young woman, so poised in her little boat, looking like she’s about to embark on a great adventure... or maybe just a jaunt around the lake. Either way, there's an air of serenity about her. Curator: These cards were immensely popular, inserted into cigarette packs to encourage collecting. It reveals much about the period’s popular culture and how women were portrayed in early advertising. We have an actress depicted, linking the brand to celebrity culture early on. Editor: And what a clever way to snag a customer! I imagine young men of the time vying to collect all the cards, trading them, pinning them to the wall. Adelaide there becomes a silent ambassador for smoking. Beyond the consumerism, it's also about the quiet details – her determination. There's a narrative suggested but not dictated. I wonder what her story was? Curator: That's where the historical context is crucial. These images, ostensibly portraits, were carefully curated representations. This "actress" rowing becomes associated with ideas of feminine self-reliance at the turn of the century, even though her image promotes a decidedly less independent habit. The company uses the progressive ideas around to market a quite retrograde product. Editor: See, for me, the art transcends its purpose. Forget the cigarettes for a second! Doesn't it spark a deeper meditation on ambition, about the roles we're given versus the lives we craft for ourselves? This almost photographic piece leaves one feeling that they are really observing another person. Curator: Precisely, and thinking critically, we can tease out those contradictions. Duke Cigarettes didn't just sell tobacco, they sold aspiration, linking it to celebrity and progressive images of women... all while pushing an addictive product. Editor: Absolutely, there's so much swirling beneath the surface of such a small card! Who knew such a modest artifact could hold such depth.