Actress pointing to page in newspaper, from Stars of the Stage, Second Series (N130) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1891

This chromolithograph was created around 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote their Honest Long Cut Tobacco. Chromolithography was a popular printing technique, using multiple stone tablets to apply different colors. What's fascinating here is how the mechanization of image production intersects with the glamorous image of the actress. This card was made possible by industrialization; the rise of mass media and advertising was tied to wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. Consider, too, the amount of work involved. From the lithographer's skill in transferring the image onto stone, to the press operator's labor in producing countless copies, this seemingly simple card embodies a complex web of human effort. It makes you wonder about the contrast between the working-class labor that produced these cards, and the upper-class image they were designed to promote. Ultimately, the card blurs the lines between commerce, entertainment, and artistry.