Card Number 53, Annie Pixley, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-4) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

This is "Card Number 53, Annie Pixley", a promotional card from the Actors and Actresses series by W. Duke, Sons & Co., likely produced in the late 19th century. The sepia tone gives the card a nostalgic air, emphasizing the texture and materiality of the print itself. The composition is carefully structured. Pixley is centered, framed by a faux outdoor setting with foliage. The eye is drawn to her face, then downward along the vertical lines of her costume. The interplay of light and shadow creates depth, giving a sculptural quality to the figure. The card functions as both a commercial product and a cultural artifact. The semiotic structure of the image—the actress's pose, her attire, the backdrop—speaks to contemporary ideas about beauty, performance, and celebrity. It also hints at the burgeoning consumer culture, where even art became a tool for branding and sales. Notice how the very form of the card, small and easily distributed, echoes the mass production and consumption of the time, embedding it within a larger network of commerce and representation.