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

This is a small-format monochrome photograph featuring Laura Burt, an actress, as part of the "Actresses" series of trading cards. Created by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 1890, these cards were distributed with Sweet Caporal Cigarettes, acting as early forms of collectible promotional merchandise. The photograph captures Burt in a simple pose, her head bowed and hands clasped, suggesting a contemplative or introspective moment. This card, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, offers a glimpse into the world of 19th-century theater and the ways in which tobacco companies used imagery to engage consumers.