Mrs. Stuart Robson, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This is Mrs. Stuart Robson, from the Actresses series, a promotional card for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes made by Kinney Brothers. The image is a photograph, printed on a small card—an industrial process meant to be distributed and consumed. The image shows a popular actress, the celebrity endorsement used as a strategy to promote the brand. The choice of such image is not accidental. The actress’s adornments, lace, and ornate decorations, indicate a level of luxury and refinement that is not necessarily accessible to all, but can be attained through the purchase of Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. This card, therefore, is more than just a picture, it is a reflection of a specific moment in the history of capitalism, when the mass production of goods began to transform the way we consume and relate to each other. It makes us consider how images of actresses played a key role in promoting consumer culture.