Ada Rehan, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This card featuring Ada Rehan was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company around the late 19th century as part of a series to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The image speaks volumes about the cultural landscape of the time. In the late 1800s, mass-produced cards like these became a widespread form of advertising. This convergence of consumerism and celebrity culture reflects evolving social norms, where figures like Ada Rehan, a famous actress, were used to endorse products. The card is a window into how institutions, in this case the tobacco industry, shaped the production and reception of art and celebrity. To truly understand this card, we would need to delve into the archives of advertising history, theatre ephemera, and the biographies of the figures involved. Only then can we fully appreciate how cultural artifacts like this both reflect and shape the societies that produce them.