Baker and Shuler, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Gypsy Queen Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

Goodwin & Company of New York produced this trade card, entitled “Baker and Shuler,” for Gypsy Queen Cigarettes sometime between 1880 and 1900. These cards were collected by the public, mostly men, and served as advertisements for the brand. The image shows two women, actresses perhaps, in stage attire, who appear to be standing in an embrace. The poses and costumes were meant to titillate the consumer. These small cards speak volumes about the social structures of the time. What did it mean to portray women in this way? What was the public role of art and performance? Was it to serve as a tool to entice buyers to purchase tobacco products? Was it meant to challenge existing social norms? To answer such questions, we need to do more research into the history of advertising, theater, and the representation of women in nineteenth-century America. Only then can we understand the cultural context in which this seemingly innocuous image was produced and consumed.