Ruth Stetson, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This small card, featuring actress Ruth Stetson, was mass-produced by the Wm. S. Kimball & Co. as part of a cigarette advertising campaign. Printed on thin paper stock using photolithography, it's a far cry from traditional art materials. Instead, it speaks volumes about the rise of consumer culture. The image itself, sepia-toned and slightly blurred, feels distant, almost dreamlike. Yet, the very act of printing and distributing thousands of these cards reveals a different story. It's a story of industrialization, where images, like cigarettes, became commodities, churned out for profit. The actress's pose, once potentially alluring, becomes a mere marketing tool. It makes us think about the labor involved, not just in producing the image, but also in the fields where the tobacco was grown, and the factories where the cigarettes were made. So, next time you see an image, think beyond the surface. Consider the materials, the making, and the social context. You might be surprised at what you discover.