Lettie Lind, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This photograph of Lettie Lind comes from a series of actresses made by Wm. S. Kimball & Co., a cigarette firm. In the late 19th century, as photography became more widespread, commercial images like this one gained popularity and were often included in cigarette packs as collectible items. This card, featuring a popular actress, speaks to the burgeoning celebrity culture of the time and the intersection of entertainment, commerce, and leisure. The image presents Lettie Lind in character, holding a prop, likely reflecting a role she was known for on stage. The photograph also subtly reflects the social conditions of the period. Actresses like Lind were public figures, yet their status was often fraught with social and moral ambiguities. The popularity of these images, distributed by a tobacco company, highlights how industries leveraged fame and public fascination to promote their products. Understanding this image requires us to consider the social history of entertainment, advertising, and gender roles in the late 19th century. Resources such as theater archives, advertising history, and biographical research on actresses provide valuable context, reminding us that the meaning of such images is deeply embedded in their original social and institutional settings.