Card Number 186, Miss Reeves, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This is 'Card Number 186, Miss Reeves', a promotional card made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. around the turn of the century. The sepia tone lends the card a nostalgic feel, but it is the composition that truly captures the eye. Miss Reeves is positioned asymmetrically, her gaze directed away, creating a dynamic tension. Note how the soft curves of her dress contrast with the rigid lines of the text above. The texture, rich in lace and feathers, invites a semiotic reading. It speaks of a culture obsessed with surface and display. Yet, there is a subversion at play here. The card disrupts the high/low art divide by using a figure of refined elegance to sell cigarettes, a common commodity. The card becomes a space where traditional notions of value are destabilized.