Card Number 206, Lizzie Hughs, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-5) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

This is Card Number 206 from the Actors and Actresses series, created around the turn of the century by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes. These cards were a clever marketing strategy, capitalizing on the burgeoning cult of celebrity that accompanied the rise of mass media. Here, Lizzie Hughs is carefully posed, embodying a specific ideal of feminine beauty and success which speaks volumes about the cultural values of the time. As an actress, Hughs was a public figure, her image carefully constructed and consumed by a wide audience. These cards both celebrated and commodified female performers like Hughs. It's worth considering how the commercial nature of this image impacted Hughes' personal identity and agency. There's an emotional tension at play, too, as the image simultaneously empowers Hughs, through the circulation of her image, and objectifies her as a product for consumption. This card, then, reflects the complex negotiation of identity, fame, and commerce in the late 19th century.