Alice Raymond, from the Actresses series (N190) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This small card featuring actress Alice Raymond was produced by the Wm. S. Kimball & Company, likely in the late 19th century, as one of a series included in cigarette packs. The material is paper, mass-produced through industrial printing, a stark contrast to traditional portraiture. The image, rendered in muted tones, is not a painting but a mechanically reproduced photograph. The texture is smooth, the weight negligible, and the form dictated by the dimensions of the cigarette pack it was designed to fit into. This wasn't about artistic expression in the traditional sense; it was about commerce. The production process involved photography, engraving, printing, and distribution on a massive scale, all geared towards promoting cigarette sales. The labor was divided and anonymous, reflecting the industrialized nature of production at the time. The image itself, while seemingly innocuous, played a role in shaping cultural values and promoting consumerism. It highlights how even the most seemingly insignificant objects can be deeply intertwined with social, economic, and political forces.