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

This is a promotional card for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes, featuring actress Lillian Russell, made by Kinney Brothers in the late 19th century. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs as a marketing strategy. This image reflects a specific cultural moment. The rise of mass media and advertising created new opportunities for actresses like Lillian Russell, who became celebrities through theater and printed media. At the same time, the burgeoning tobacco industry sought to associate its products with glamour and success. This conflation of celebrity, consumption, and visual culture was a hallmark of the Gilded Age in the United States. To fully understand this image, we might look at the history of advertising, the biographies of actresses, and the social history of tobacco use. These lines of inquiry all help us understand the ways in which images reflect and shape the values of their time.