Card Number 223, Nadage Doree, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: So this is "Card Number 223, Nadage Doree," created in the 1880s by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to advertise Duke Cigarettes. It’s at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The photo is quite charming, almost dreamlike in its sepia tones, but the way she’s posed seems a little… staged. What strikes you most about it? Curator: I'm intrigued by how these trade cards acted as carriers of cultural values. The image, even within an advertising context, subtly perpetuates the idolization of the actress, Nadage Doree. Consider how pose, dress and surrounding props signal codes of beauty and status. Editor: So it’s not just about selling cigarettes; it's about selling a lifestyle, an aspiration? Curator: Exactly. Look at the vase and draped cloth to the left and how she mirrors that in pose. Do you recognize any repeated symbolic motifs in this composition? Editor: Hmmm… maybe the implied wealth? The ornate dress, her composed demeanor. It all feels very deliberate. Curator: Indeed. The actress herself becomes a symbol, representing success and sophistication. Cigarettes, then, are being associated with that elevated social sphere, are being inscribed in this cultural value. Now, considering our own cultural moment, what feelings arise when you reflect on this image? Editor: It’s fascinating how advertising uses similar visual language even today. While the products have changed, this photo reveals timeless desires! Curator: Precisely. We see echoes of such constructed imagery across time. Editor: This exploration really enriched my understanding. I'll definitely view these everyday images in a new light going forward!