Card Number 188, Jessie Ames, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This is a trade card of Jessie Ames, an actress, produced by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes. It belongs to a series that showcases popular actresses of the time. The iconography of the actress is intriguing. Note her gaze directed upwards, a common motif in classical portraiture, suggesting contemplation or aspiration. We can find variations of this pose throughout history, for example, consider the countless depictions of saints looking toward the heavens. This upward gaze appears in various contexts, always imbued with a sense of longing or divine connection. The use of actresses' portraits to advertise cigarettes reveals the complex interplay between art, commerce, and desire, tapping into the viewer’s subconscious associations. The cigarette card is a non-linear progression. The meaning is not fixed but resurfaces, evolving, and taking on new meaning.