H.M. Johnson, from the Actresses series (N246), Type 2, issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes 1888 - 1892

This photograph of H.M. Johnson comes from a series of cards issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes. Made in the late 19th century, it reflects the growing commercialization of leisure and the rise of celebrity culture. The ‘Actresses’ series, which included this image, reveals much about the social codes of the time. The term ‘actress’ was often loosely applied and the images traded on the public's fascination with performers and athletes, figures who occupied a space between public and private life. This particular photograph, with its display of a muscular physique, hints at the cultural emphasis on masculinity and physical prowess in the late 19th century. To fully understand this image, we might turn to archives of advertising history, theatrical ephemera, and early sports journalism. These sources help us to understand the complex interplay between commerce, entertainment, and the construction of social identities in this period. The meaning of this card lies not just in its aesthetic qualities but also in its function within a specific historical and commercial context.