Zelia De Lussau, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This small promotional card by W. Duke, Sons & Co. features Zelia de Lussan, an opera singer who gained popularity in the late 19th century. Produced during an era marked by burgeoning consumer culture, such cards were instruments in constructing celebrity images and marketing products, often reinforcing societal norms and expectations. De Lussan, an American woman of French and Spanish descent, achieved fame in roles like Carmen, a character embodying both allure and danger. The image presents her in costume, seated demurely. How does this contrast with the roles she embodied on stage? Consider how her identity as a woman intersects with her profession as a performer. Celebrated yet commodified, these cards offer us a glimpse into the complex dynamics of identity, representation, and commerce in the late 19th century.