From the series "Sports Girls" (C190), issued by the American Cigarette Company, Ltd., Montreal, to promote Gloria Cigarettes 1885 - 1895

This is an advertisement card from the series "Sports Girls," issued by the American Cigarette Company in Montreal, to promote Gloria Cigarettes. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, offer a glimpse into the evolving, yet still constrained, roles of women in society. Here, we see a woman dressed in athletic gear; she is corseted and strikes a pose on a field with a ball at her feet. While appearing to celebrate women's participation in sports, the card also reinforces conventional beauty standards, sexualizing her as a product to be consumed. This tension highlights the complex negotiation women faced as they sought empowerment in a patriarchal society. The very act of associating women with sports and then with cigarettes speaks volumes about the commodification of the female body in the service of marketing. Ultimately, the image serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle to redefine female identity beyond societal expectations. It reveals both progress and persistent challenges in the representation of women in popular culture.