Card Number 316, Jennie Smith, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-5) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: This is Card Number 316 from the Actors and Actresses series featuring Jennie Smith, created in the 1880s by Duke Sons & Co. as a promotional item for Cameo Cigarettes. It's a print, incorporating drawing and photography. I'm struck by the sort of casual exoticism. What are your thoughts on this image? Curator: The exoticism is definitely manufactured, playing on notions of the ‘orient’ which were so in vogue during the late 19th century, a phenomenon known as Japonisme. But look closer – this isn't about an honest portrayal of another culture; it’s a calculated move. Think about what this image is selling: cigarettes. And who are they selling it to? Predominantly, men. Editor: So, you're suggesting there’s a link between the objectification of women and the marketing of cigarettes? Curator: Precisely! The card presents Jennie Smith, an actress, in a way that caters to the male gaze. This was a period of significant social upheaval, with burgeoning feminist movements challenging Victorian ideals. This image subtly reinforces patriarchal power structures, presenting women as objects of desire and consumption, just like the cigarettes themselves. We can even examine the pose – reclined, legs exposed – and ask ourselves whose gaze is being privileged here. Is it Jennie’s, or the assumed male consumer? Editor: That's a really interesting point. I hadn't considered the way it plays into those power dynamics. Curator: These seemingly innocent promotional cards are actually potent cultural artifacts that reveal a lot about gender, consumerism, and power during that era. Looking at them critically helps us to deconstruct the subtle ways ideology can be embedded within everyday objects. Editor: Wow, I will never look at these cards the same way! Thank you for helping me see the bigger picture and consider all those hidden elements.