Miss Major, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This photograph of Miss Major was created by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as one of a series of promotional cards for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. This card, like others in the series, was printed using photolithography, a process that translates a photographic image onto a flat stone or metal plate using oil-based ink. The tonal range achieved through photolithography lends a sense of realism to the image of Miss Major, even as it flattens the three-dimensional world into a reproducible commodity. The choice of photolithography speaks volumes about the intended audience and purpose. This process allowed for mass production, embedding the image of Miss Major within the fabric of everyday life, turning her into a token of popular culture, readily available with the purchase of a pack of cigarettes. By understanding the context of its production and the way commercial image-making permeates society, we gain a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance embedded in even the most seemingly ephemeral of objects.