Card Number 197, Miss Ray, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: This is Card Number 197, Miss Ray, from the Actors and Actresses series made in the 1880s by W. Duke, Sons & Co. It's a small print, a promotional card for Cross Cut Cigarettes showing a posed actress. What strikes me is the somewhat…awkward sensuality. What do you see in it? Curator: I see a collision of social forces at play. The commodification of women's images was, and continues to be, central to capitalist enterprise. Here, Miss Ray is positioned both as a desirable object and a promoter of a highly gendered product – cigarettes. It’s important to recognize this wasn't simply about selling tobacco. It was about defining and reinforcing societal norms around gender, performance, and consumption. How might Miss Ray have viewed her participation in this form of advertising? Editor: That’s fascinating! I hadn't considered her perspective. Do you think she had any agency in how she was presented? Curator: Agency is a tricky thing. While she clearly agreed to the posing, the broader societal context severely limited her choices. The Victorian era imposed strict codes of conduct, particularly for women, while simultaneously exploiting their image for commercial gain. So, how do we reconcile this tension between individual choice and systemic oppression? Does this image perpetuate those norms or subvert them in some way? Editor: I guess I had initially seen it as a pretty picture, but now I see a lot more. The way this portrait participates in the political economy is definitely more apparent now. Curator: Exactly. By analyzing these seemingly simple images through the lens of gender, class, and commerce, we can uncover complex power dynamics that continue to shape our society. Editor: I will definitely look at this artwork in new ways.