Pauline Hall Dressed in Old Saxon Costume, from the set Actors and Actresses, First Series (N70) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888 - 1889

This is a lithograph of Pauline Hall dressed in old Saxon costume, created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. During the late 19th century, mass media commercial images often reinforced racial and gender stereotypes, defining and limiting the identities of those represented. Here we see Pauline Hall, a celebrity of her time, exoticized in a 'Saxon' costume for the consumption of a predominantly white, male audience. The costume flattens the complexities of Saxon identity into a marketable image for Duke Cigarettes. Such images played a role in constructing and perpetuating societal norms. By distributing these cards with their products, companies like Duke reinforced a sense of cultural hierarchy, influencing consumer perceptions and promoting a particular vision of beauty and desirability. This image prompts us to consider the power dynamics inherent in representation and the role of art in shaping our understanding of identity.