Miss Jarbeau, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This is a photograph of Miss Jarbeau, from the "Actresses" series, printed by the Wm. S. Kimball & Co., cigarette company. It’s a small paper card, made using industrial printing processes and mass-produced. The photograph shows Miss Jarbeau in costume, posed against a theatrical backdrop. The sepia tone gives the image a nostalgic feel, but it also speaks to the industrial processes behind its creation. These cards were essentially advertisements, and they depended on factory labor and global distribution networks. As such, it’s more than just a pretty picture. The card’s material qualities—thin, mass-produced paper, printed with a photographic image—speak to the changing landscape of art and consumption in the late 19th century. It challenges the traditional boundaries of art, inviting us to consider how images circulate and acquire value in a market economy. By focusing on the materials and processes, we can see how this small card reflects larger social and economic forces at play.