Marie Burroughs in Colors of the New York Yacht Club, from the Yacht Colors of the World series (N140) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1890

Editor: Here we have a striking piece of ephemera titled "Marie Burroughs in Colors of the New York Yacht Club," dating back to 1890. It's a promotional print by W. Duke, Sons & Co., using coloured pencil. It’s small, almost like a playing card. It’s odd to see an actress used to promote tobacco in this way; what are your thoughts on this artwork's historical context? Curator: This trade card speaks volumes about the social and cultural landscape of the late 19th century. Tobacco companies were masters of advertisement, and the use of celebrity endorsements, even in such a modest format, reflects the growing influence of mass media and consumer culture. Why do you think they chose this specific imagery, with Marie Burroughs adorned in yachting colors? Editor: Well, I guess the New York Yacht Club must have represented a certain ideal of luxury and leisure that they wanted to associate with their product? Curator: Precisely. The New York Yacht Club was a symbol of elite society and American industrial power. The inclusion of nautical symbols points to that. Using a famous actress linked their tobacco brand with sophistication and success. However, it also tells us something about the position of women in public life at the time. Actresses were both celebrated and subject to intense scrutiny; this sort of image reinforced certain ideals while perhaps challenging others. The design also pulls visual cues from decorative arts like Japonisme. What’s your feeling about how this imagery participates in larger cultural trends? Editor: It's interesting how something seemingly simple like a tobacco card could reflect so much about the era. I hadn't really considered how promotional material like this actively shapes cultural values and even perceptions of gender. Curator: Exactly. By examining this artwork we understand more deeply the role that these images play in our daily lives. It makes me curious to compare its depiction of women and consumer culture with today’s norms.