Card Number 36, Lillian Russell, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-4) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes by W. Duke, Sons & Co.

Card Number 36, Lillian Russell, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-4) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

drawing, print

portrait

pencil drawn

photo of handprinted image

drawing

aged paper

toned paper

light pencil work

ink paper printed

print

old engraving style

ink colored

men

watercolour illustration

watercolor

This trade card from the 1880s depicts Lillian Russell, a famous American actress and singer, holding a fan and seated in a chair with an ornate patterned rug. The card was issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote their Cameo Cigarettes. These trade cards, known as "cigarette cards," were a popular form of advertising in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, featuring images of celebrities, sports figures, and other subjects. The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses this piece as part of their collection.