Card Number 323, Mlle. Rescolli, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This card, dating from around 1900, was made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes. It features Mlle. Rescolli, an actress, in costume. But what does it tell us about the culture of its time? These cards were inserted into cigarette packs as a marketing strategy, linking the consumption of tobacco with glamour, celebrity, and the theater. This was an era of burgeoning mass media and advertising, where images of actors and actresses helped to sell a lifestyle as much as a product. The card suggests how cultural institutions like the theater were being drawn into the service of consumer capitalism. The female body was also being objectified as a commodity. To better understand the image, we can examine the history of advertising, the rise of celebrity culture, and the social role of women in that time. These resources offer a glimpse into the complex interplay of art, commerce, and society.